


Coming Down

by untilmynextstory



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Artists, Drawing, Drunken Kissing, Eavesdropping, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hunting, Implied Sexual Content, Jealously, Male-Female Friendship, One Shot Collection, POV Male Character, Quarry, Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Walkers (Walking Dead), Young, woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 19:03:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5796184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untilmynextstory/pseuds/untilmynextstory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He thought he only had to fear walkers giving him a virus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming Down

 

* * *

She was quiet.

It was the first thing he noticed about her when they lived at the quarry.

Everyone else acted like they were on some grand camping trip and were more interested in being best friends as if the world hadn't gone to shit. She however stuck to the background. He noticed she would engage here and there, but she was never the focus of the conversation. To be honest, she seemed scared. Her eyes would dart around the camp looking for walkers to spring out any moment. She didn't seem to want to let herself settle or let her guard down. He thought she should have been paranoid and scared. She needed to be if she wanted to survive. It was good she wasn't wearing rose colored sunglasses drinking a tall glass of denial.

Additionally like he and his brother, her tent was a little further out from everyone else's. It wasn't even next to Glenn's and that was who she arrived with. He learned later on they weren't really friends or knew each other before this. She actually saved Glenn's ass from walkers early on with a pair of chop sticks, the irony wasn't lost on him.

She was also the first one to speak to him and his brother after the initial wary and brisk introduction to the camp.

* * *

He remembered it clearly. He mostly was setting up his and Merle's camp as Merle was too high and concerned about the lack of pussy and was pissed at him for having the nerve to offer their time and energy to hunt for these "hoity broads" as he so eloquently bitched about. Besides her being so quiet, that he discovered after this encounter, she snuck up on him and his brother.

He had just put the final stake down on the tent to keep it in place when a soft clear of the throat caused him and his brother to become on defense and whip their heads to the sound.

There she was.

At the time, she was wearing black shorts which he immediately thought was stupid not for the obvious exposure to be more susceptible to a bite or scratch, but she had some nice tan legs. They weren't long as she seemed to be only 5'3'', but they were nicely defined and her left thigh had a tattoo of a detailed owl in black ink. The reason he thought it was stupid was because she was going to draw unwanted attention like from his brother because her loose shirt wasn't helpful either.

She had a loose tank top on that was white and showcased a black and white rose tattoo that started from the top of her right shoulder and lead into a half sleeve on her upper arm. She had another tattoo on her left shoulder near her clavicle in cursive the word _Serendipity._ It wasn't until when she turned to leave he saw a flash of another tattoo on her left ribs he would soon decipher as a peacock feather. That gave her a total of four tattoos. Besides them being visible he could clearly see her bright neon green bra underneath.

His eyes raked her body as he did his inventory of her. Besides her short height, outfit, and prominent tattoos, she was a pretty, beautiful, woman. She wasn't an exotic beauty or sexy. She was soft, classic beauty, he would surmise. She had brown hair confined in a ponytail and bangs that framed her face that were sticking to her face from the sweat that was traveling down her face to her neck and then underneath her shirt.

Her eyes matched her hair. They were brown, but a brown that overtook autumn leaves in the fall.

She had a small nose that was accentuated with a hooped piercing on her right nostril and plump lips. Her bra emphasized her breasts that were quite big if he would say so himself. And, she had curves. She wasn't stick thin like one long hair brunette woman and the other buzzed cut woman that were in their camp.

Her skin was tan, but he could tell it wasn't all from the sun. She was mixed with something.

Merle was the first one to speak.

" _Well, hello, sweetcheeks, what can sweet ole Merle do fer ya," Merle greeted with his signature lewd grin as he appraised the women in front of him. Daryl stood up to his full height from his crouched position as he gazed at the woman before him._

_Daryl was still looking at her apprehensively, but neither him and Merle were prepared for what happened next. She extended her hand at them. Daryl looked at her confused as his eyes went back to her hand and face. Merle was momentarily stunned before he extended his rough hunter hand grasping her small petite one._

" _Nice to meet you, Merle. I'm Ashley."_

_Her voice was small and soft like a ghost of a whisper. Her voice held no southern accent either. Daryl didn't even realize she was waiting for him to speak before Merle's arm went around his neck startling him and causing him to quickly brush his brother off. Merle just released a loud cackle. Daryl knew his face was stained with pink._

" _Ashley, this right here is my baby bro, Daryl. Forgive his manners. He isn't to experience with ya women folk."_

" _Shut up, Merle," Daryl snapped at his older brother. He gave Ashley a stiff nod for a greeting._

_Merle ignored his ever grumpy baby brother as he turned back to the fine woman who had approached them out of her own free will._

" _So what brings ya ova' ta our side of camp?" Since he and his brother arrived at least an hour ago to a lukewarm reception and only got a spot because Daryl offered their now prized hunting skills the camp were looking at them as if they were lepers. Only if they knew what they had planned._

" _I thought I would just introduce myself since we are all living together," Ashley replied. "Oh here."_

_Daryl was surprised by the two bottle of waters that were produced as she held them out for him and Merle. He was surprised he missed her holding one of the few critical and precious resources vital for their survival._

_Merle grabbed the waters shock was clear on his face by the Samaritan act the girl was pulling, "Why thank ya sweetheart. I have a feeling we're going to be best friends." Merle responded with a wide smile as he took a sip of the warm water. "Daryl tell the girl thanks."_

_Daryl scowled at his brother, but replied with a miff thanks._

" _Well I'll let you guys be. Oh and thanks for offering to hunt for us." Her eyes, that had been flicking between him and Merle, were solely focused on him._

_Daryl eyes widened at her appreciation, but then she smiled._

_Daryl thought that she had a beautiful smile. One that was dissonant in this new world, but one that he would like to see again._

From then he would occasionally watch her.

* * *

She was always aware of her surroundings. He always saw her eyes moving and her ears were listening. He watched as she would just crunch something or move it to test the sound to distinguish. He was impressed since most of the women were concerned with laundry duty that surprisingly Ashley volunteered to wash his and Merle clothes.

_Daryl was coming back from a relative short hunt. It had been a at least two to three weeks since him and Merle arrived. It was hotter than usual and it didn't help his irritable mood that Merle refused to pull his weight for these "ungrateful scums" that didn't appreciate them risking their asses in hunting for them well besides Ashley. She was the only one who would thank them after the meals would be passed out. Daryl hadn't sat with the group since the first night, but she would walk over to collect their plates while thanking them. She also made sure the brothers were getting their share of the meat. He did notice she would put more on his plate than his brother's._

_Daryl stalked his way to his camp with Merle who was snoring loud as he hung his meat up on the poles for his game. It was then he saw a silhouette in his tent making his anger boil hotter than it already was. He whipped the door to his tent open causing the brunette girl to become startled with the abrupt movement causing her to drop what was in her hands._

" _What the hell ya doing in here?" Daryl barked._

_Ashley looked at him while she gathered his shirt that she dropped as she spoke to him calmly. "I'm sorry, Merle said it was okay to do your laundry as well. I was just placing them back. I didn't go through anything." Ashley explained._

_Daryl scowled not directly at her, but just the situation. He couldn't be upset because the laundry was piling up and she was the only who didn't ignore his existence. His scowl turned into a frown, "Well ah… thanks," he muttered and then she fucking smiled and he had to exit the tent._

* * *

After the laundry incident, Ashley seemed to try and talk to him more, but him being him, Merle did most of the talking, if hitting on the girl was talking. She, however, took it in stride and completely dismissed Merle's comments. He didn't know if that infuriated or amused Merle as they were practically the same thing for him.

Despite him acting disinterested and replying with his reputable grunts he listened to her every word. He learned she was from up North from Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to be exact. She had a younger brother who had autism and her parents were still together. She moved down to Georgia a year ago to live with her cousin for a change of scenery. Additionally, her cousin had just opened her own hair and beauty salon. Ashley was a beautician. Besides that, she liked to draw. All her tattoos were drawn by her. He hated to admit that he didn't like it when she frowned as she told the brothers she wished she had her sketch book to draw as it helped clear her mind. She had to take to drawing in the dirt.

The most critical point to Daryl through was that she was also young. She was 23 to his 35.

However, he noticed if Merle wasn't near him she would stare at him. The first few times he caught her she would duck her head after giving him an embarrassed smile. He didn't know if was bothered by it. By now at this camp, he was used to being ignored or stared out. So he let her stare or whatever before he would approach her on his own. Her staring stopped though one day. He heard her approaching and by then he had trained his ears to know the music of her trek.

_Daryl wiped the sheen of sweat that coated his forehead that was dripping into his eyes with his forearm since his hands were covered in blood. Despite living in Georgia all his life his body would never become accustomed to the grueling heat. Daryl grabbed another squirrel and placed it on his makeshift table when he heard her approaching him. He squinted up at her and she was still in those goddamn shorts. She was approaching him hesitantly and he frowned as when Merle approached she had no goddamn problem._

_Daryl pondered if he should ignore her presence and continue gutting his kill. She was probably here for Merle anyways so he continued with his kill, "Merle ain't here." He grumbled when she got closer._

" _I'm not here for him."_

_Daryl momentarily paused his cutting as he looked up at her with squinty eyes, "What ya want?"_

_Daryl watched as she pushed her bangs out of her face and it seemed she wiped away any trace of nervousness she felt being in his presence. "I want to know if you could show me how to skin and gut."_

_Daryl eyebrows rose as he looked at her. He was not expecting that question. Then he realized she wasn't staring at him, but she was observing him cleaning his meat. He wanted to say no, but for some reason he slid over on his bench and nodded his head over for her to sit._

* * *

They followed that routine for another two weeks. She would come over to his camp when he came back from a hunt with or without Merle. Merle, of course, jibbed him on Ashley saying he should tap that. Merle joined them on the first two skins, but Ashley seemed more enthralled into making sure she was doing it right than being bothered by Merle's crude comments.

She was a quick learner. She asked so many questions though he felt like a damn college professor. It didn't bother him. It got to the point where he just let her take over and it gave him a break. During this time it gave him time to observe her and the camp. The camp tried to hide their "discreet" glances their way. He sent them a scowl in return making them turn their attention back to whatever they did, which wasn't much.

Still with a month or so in the quarry, Ashley didn't interact that greatly with their group. He really only saw her actively engage in conversation with were the kids especially Carl and Sophia. He especially noticed that Lori took advantage of Ashley's generosity. Back then he didn't understand how no one else saw how this widow was grieving with the help of her dead husband's best friend. Other than that he saw her have the occasional conversation with Glenn and Dale. However, he liked finding her in a one sided conversation with Amy. The few times he caught her in a conversation their eyes met and he couldn't help but let his lips twitch upwards as she looked at him with pleading eyes to save her. Other than that she seemed to stick to herself and carried her weight by doing the usual misogynist roles in the camp.

He thought the women needed to learn to survive because if shit hit the fan he didn't need to be worrying about everyone else's ass because they were stupid.

Those thoughts made him look at Ashley as she cleaned the meat. They didn't talk that much besides her asking how it was in the woods. It didn't bother him, but he felt stupid he was unable to form a sentence in front of her. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but he didn't know exactly what to talk about. He wasn't sure if she minded, but she just sat quietly next to in helping him with his game or doing his laundry. Her skin had gotten considerably tanner. He thought it suited her nicely. When she wore her bright bras it highlighted against her skin nicely. She still looked more of the same. She was losing a little weight. But she was still wearing those goddamn shorts. Those goddamn shorts that showed that owl tattoo on her tone thighs. It was what prompted him in actually starting a conversation.

" _Do ya own pants?" Daryl asked out of the blue as he made it obvious he was looking at her legs when he traveled back up to look at her face._

_Ashley paused her movements as she looked down at her bare legs and fidgeted. "Uh, no, actually. Glenn's says if he finds some jeans for me he would grab them. When everything turned to shit stupid me didn't grab important things. I know I can get scratched or bit. I've been worried about it to be honest."_

_Daryl frowned at her words. He wanted to ask what exactly was the circumstance for her harsh departure, but it wasn't his business and frankly she wasn't his concern. "Ya know how ta shoot?"_

_Ashley turned beat red at his question as she bit her plump lip, "Ahh, no, but I been…practicing."_

_Daryl looked at her confused, "Been practicing with what?" The last time he checked not one of them used a gun as no walkers have even made an appearance at the quarry this close. He could admit he encountered a few when hunting, but he hadn't heard her firing a gun or seen her even carry one._

" _It's so embarrassing," Ashley informed him as she turned her focus back on the animal in front of her._

" _Ash," Daryl said firmly. He hated when people beat around the bush._

_Ashley sighed. "I can show you, but you can't laugh."_

_Daryl just looked at her with a blank face before he grabbed the meat from her hands and gave her some water to clean her hands. He was standing up looking at her with his crossbow strapped to his back while she remained firmly planted in her seat. "Let's go." He urged._

_Ashley got up from the seat and led him to her tent. Daryl realized this was the first time he ever been in her space. Not once had he ever ventured to her world. Her tent was still set out a little further from camp so he could at least appreciate that they would have privacy as all eyes were on them. Ashley didn't seem to mind, but he gave them a scowl._

_Her tent was small maybe around the same size as his. She didn't have some grand decoration outside. It was just plan and simple and he did notice her homemade walker alarm with tin cans._

" _You promise not to laugh?" Ashley said as she unzipped her tent before entering._

" _Ash, open yer damn tent." Daryl demanded as he tighten his grip on the strap to his crossbow._

_Ashley didn't say anything, but opened the door to her tent and entered. Daryl followed quickly behind her trying not to get distracted by how her shorts rose a little as she bent inside her tent. He quickly corrected those thoughts and diverted his attention to her home. Her bed was horizontal to the door and her small bag of clothes were at the end. Those were the only things she had it seemed, however, his eyes were pulled to the end of her tent by her bed which wasn't really that far from where he was standing. She had some elaborate makeshift pendulum made out of three branches with a can that he guessed would swing manually. And next to that was a small table that had a line of cans. She made a small target range. However, his eyes widened at the three Nerf products on the floor. Two guns one more resemble a revolver and the other was a rifle and the third object was a long bow._

_Daryl was actually impressed._

" _Glenn got them for me. I know ammo is a limited resource now and guns do make noise, but I needed to know how to shoot moving walkers importantly. Shane and the others seem fine with him being the guy to look for in protection, but I want to be independent and protect myself." Ashley explained quietly from behind him as he walked forward and pushed her little tin walking it swing back and forth._

_Despite being impressed shooting a toy gun wasn't the same as the real thing._

" _I can teach ya", Daryl offered. "Ya need ta learn the mechanics too like cleaning a gun."_

" _Do you think you can show me how to hunt and track too?" Ashley asked hopefully._

_Daryl sighed as he had the nerve to say no, but this girl wanted to survive clearly and she wanted to learn. "Alright, but ya learning the basics of a gun first before I take ya out."_

_Daryl wasn't prepared for the wide smile to adorn her face. He needed to get out of this tent._

* * *

Daryl kept his word. He taught her everything there was to know about guns and how to clean them. He even showed her Merle's rifle that surprisingly Merle didn't bitch too badly about in letting Ashley knowing how to use it and clean it. He did have to intervene when Merle tried to take over her lessons in showing her the current stances since Merle was only going to try to cop a feel. However, he saw with the increasing amount of time the two were spending together the camp was taking more notice. When he was coming back from a hunt, he kept back a little as he saw Shane and Ashley away from everyone. Shane was scolding her about the extent of her relationship with Merle and him. How she needed to stay away from them. They were dangerous and the typical words used to describe a redneck. He watched as Ashley listened to Shane's word intently, she didn't object. She just stood there, but from her body language he could tell she was either annoyed or pissed. She was leaning on her right leg with her arms crossed. He could see though she was flexing her fists at Shane.

Once Shane was finished with his monologue. He couldn't see her face fully, but she just patted Shane on the shoulder and walked away. He watched as Shane looked at her dumbfounded. Daryl couldn't help the snort that escaped his throat as he made his presence known to Shane as he sent a smug smile his way.

He walked back to camp with the meat over his shoulder and he caught eyes with Ash as he called her name and there was that smiled that a part of him felt was just reserved for him.

* * *

Daryl knew the official shift in their relationship was when he officially took her out to practice. During his hunting excursions, he went and looked out for a clearing that was far away from camp. It was a long walk, but it would be far enough to not draw attention to the camp.

He wasn't thrilled with her attire, but he was actually glad to know she had a black hoodie to wear for their walk back.

As usual their trek was quiet besides him deciding to use the long walk to begin teaching her some tips for tracking. He knew it changed when he mentioned he noticed how she was testing her hearing. He knew he looked like a ripe tomato from the look she gave him as he basically admitted that he watched her. He couldn't really look at her after that, but it got worse once the actually got to the range when he had to help with her stance and posture. Not so much with the guns since they practiced at the camp, but when she asked to see his crossbow and he let her.

She simply was his opposite in every way. She contrasted him. She was soft and smooth like a petal to a flower while he was rough and callous like sandpaper. Her body didn't have any visible scars like his. It was just the body of a woman, a soft supple woman.

She smelled like rain, which he thought was peculiar, but at the same time comforting as if she could wash away all his worry and pain.

With his arms enclosed around her, her body fit snugly against his body. She just reached his chin. He simply swallowed her being as she leaned back into him startling him as her backside brushed against him. It seemed though that snapped him out of his reverie and he ended their excursion early.

She was getting too close. She was tying strings into him in ways he couldn't understand. In ways he didn't want to understand. It was the end of the world and he didn't need to be feeling or starting to feel this shit. He was just doing this so this girl could survive. He didn't want her death on his conscious. Plus she was young, too young for him. He tried to ignore the frown that overtook her features at his abrupt change in demeanor.

He knew he was the cause of that.

* * *

After that it seemed all progress of any relationship was lost. She left him alone. He hated to admit he hated the absence he felt. She didn't look in his direction. She still thanked him mainly for dinner, would ask Merle how he was feeling, and make sure their clothes were washed, but she never lingered. He was used to coming back from a hunting trip and feeling her presence somewhere in his makeshift camp, but it was gone.

Even Merle noticed the change.

" _Ya sweet on her?" Merle asked after he skinned their rabbit slamming his knife into their table drawing everyone's attention except hers. "Boy, don't make me repeat myself." Merle barked when he didn't answer. Merle noticed how Daryl and his new buddy weren't chummy anymore. Merle really didn't think too much about it at first, but then Daryl was becoming more grumpier than usual making him do slave work for these ungrateful asses in their camp who couldn't say thank you well except the lovely miss Ashley of course. Besides, Ashley was the only ones that didn't treat or look at him and his brother like redneck trash. They were simply Merle and Daryl Dixon. It kind of made him feel bad about his and Daryl initial purpose for being in the group._

" _Nah," Daryl replied._

" _Don't ya lie ta me boy." Merle threatened._

_Daryl looked up at his brother who was looking at him annoyed. "There ain't nothing going on."_

" _Really?" Merle asked with a raised eyebrow. "So what happened while ya two went for "target practice"? What she kissed ya and ya got spooked Darylina?" Merle mocked._

_Daryl rolled his eyes at his brother and didn't respond. The way Ashley's body felt against him kissing was the furthest thing from his mind._

" _Shame, I was warming up to little ole Ashcakes," Merle added on with an even tone. There was no mocking or criticism just the truth. Daryl looked at his brother in surprise._

_However, whatever Merle was thinking was washed away. "Hmm, maybe its good baby bro, women are distractions. You give them a finger and they'll take the whole hand," Merle said mimicking him fingering a girl crudely making him snicker in disgust at his brother who was hunched over laughing. "But ya wouldn't know anything bout that would ya bro. You probably wouldn't be able to handle Ashcakes. Just imagine those lips wrapped arou –"_

" _Alright knock it off," Daryl barked louder than he intended causing all eyes to focus back on them._

_Merle just smiled wider at him, "Yeah, ya sweet on her."_

* * *

He tried to catch her eye during camp, but she never looked his way.

She seemed to make sure she was distracted by other campers or she stayed in her tent more.

He could admit he found himself walking over to her area when everyone was asleep, but he felt to much like a creeper. But he smiled when he heard the faint sound of her Styrofoam bullets hitting her cans.

He thought she simply forgot about him until he stooped so low and eavesdropped on her conversation with Carol. He noticed that she seemed to be bonding with the meek older woman who was clearly being abused by her husband. The cropped hair gave it away knowing she kept it short so it wasn't pulled. Plus, he knew and recognized the signs. However, Ash seemed to gravitate towards her when doing their women duties.

They were in the woods finding some edible plants to eat that Ashley learned from him as she informed Carol.

_Daryl's chest tighten uncomfortably at hearing how his name sounded coming from her full lips. How light it sounded. It was then he stopped to listen to their conversation. He prayed his trek was quiet because Ashley had some good ears._

_Carol eventually asked what transpired between the two. He waited with bated breath for her answer that came after a slight pause._

" _I can't speak for Daryl, Carol, but I feel I may have overwhelmed him, maybe. I don't know he is hard to read sometimes." Ashley's light voice said as it filled the humid air even more._

" _Yeah, I noticed. He is so guarded, but he is more respectful than Merle, at least. The group was worried Merle mostly would do something to you." Daryl's jaw clenched at the insinuation. Despite everything he and Merle went through and how Merle acted really, they never laid their hands upon women or took advantage._

" _That is so ridiculous. Yes, Merle is a little loud and opinionated, I don't think he is like that…neither is Daryl. I don't want to fuel gossip, but they obviously had a rough life. I think it is natural for them to be the way they are. It's like a coping mechanism and its not like anybody probably gave them a chance to be different." Ashley said defending them. Daryl's chest filled with something._

" _You like him sweetie?" Carol asked innocently._

_Ashley released a sigh as she looked down at another plant that didn't have any nutritional value. "I…I don't think it's worth getting my hopes up in this world to feel anything than just platonic. Besides I don't think he is interested in_ that _. I think we need to focus on survival than trivial stuff like relationships."_

_Carol gave Ashley a small smile. "Relationships aren't trivial. I think given this state of the world if you find something you should just go for it. You will never know what will happen and if he makes you happy…that is all that matters."_

_Ashley looked at Carol conflicted. "I don't know, Carol, I still don't know much about him. We're friends, I think, I don't know if Daryl Dixon does friends, but I am not really looking for a boyfriend or anything." Ashley said dejected with a frown causing Daryl to mirror the expression, but then her hard her laugh as she spoke up again. "But I will admit I do like his arms. Have you seen those things!"_

_Carol and Ashley let out quiet chuckles as Carol gave her agreement before they made their way back to camp empty handed and Daryl felt a fever burn inside him._

* * *

Ashley and he didn't speak again until two weeks later. His body was blinded with anger. Merle was gone. Not just gone, but _left._ This group that he had been living with for close to three months handcuffed his brother on a roof and left him there like walker bait.

The small rational voice in his head knew Merle got himself locked up on that roof from causing trouble and being a simple minded son of a bitch, but that same rational voice knew that didn't justify them leaving his flesh and blood to die.

It didn't help that T-Dog had dropped the key and thought locking the geeks out from making his brother a chew toy would make him feel any better.

When the anger slightly subsided, he took deep breaths to regain his bearings as he let these people see too much of his emotions. However any fucking control he may have tried to regain left the building when he found her brown eyes looking at him with worry and her eyes were telling him to cool it, but his eyes zoned in on the discoloration that overtook her pink lips that were plumper than usual. Her mouth was red and blue. He was seeing red. The half of her top lip was red and her whole bottom lips was red with blue edging the corners. They were swollen the discoloration traveling to her cheek.

_Daryl squeezed his eyes shut. They were burning from unshed tear and rage now at seeing this. It seemed everything gone to shit when he went on his hunting trip yesterday._

" _What the fuck happened to ya face?" Daryl growled. He was going to rage. He was literally going to kill someone today._

_He heard her shuffling closer to him, but he stepped away. He wanted answers not to be coddled or placated like a baby as if his fit of rage was not justified._

_He saw Shane going to open his mouth, but he however shot him down. "I didn't ask you asshole."_

" _Daryl," Ashley warned and it caused him to glare at her. She walked up to him quickly and grabbed his bicep leading him away from camp into his tent and he let her while he threw daggers at everyone watching them._

_When he focused back on Ashley he noticed she actually had black jeans that were practically painted on her and she had replaced her usual loose tanks or muscle shirts with a grey t-shirt._

" _Well?" Daryl barked impatiently._

" _Can you sit, please?"_

" _What fer? Just tell me Ashley so I can gut the son of a bitch who had the nerve to do that." Daryl informed her in a growl as he stepped closer to her face and cupped her face examining the damage. It was a hard smack or punch to her face. He already had a strong feeling who it was as only one man in this whole camp had the nerve to disrespect women._

" _Before I begin, Shane handled it." Ashley began and that only made him angrier that Shane was the one to handle it. Shane was the one to save her and protect her. He clenched his jaw in response and nodded for her to continue. "We were doing laundry like normal and Ed took us down this time. You know how he is with Carol any semblance of a smile or her becoming relaxed or friendly makes him even more of a dick. He grabbed her. He was hurting her and we tried to intervene and his hand was aimed for Carol, I think, or it was deliberate… Shane came out of the woods and he practically beat Ed to death." Ashley ended with a frown._

_Daryl thought Shane should have killed him because Daryl knew if he saw Ed he was going to kill him._

_Daryl walked away from Ashley as he ran his hands throw his short sweaty hair gripping it hard._

" _Fuck!" He shouted. He wanted to throw things – kill shit._

" _Daryl, it's been handled. I'm okay." Ashley said trying to placate him, but it wasn't working._

" _Have ya seen yer fucking face, Ash?" Daryl shouted in her face and he immediately regretted it as she slightly recoiled from him. Daryl closed his eyes and rubbed his sockets as he tried to find some goddamn anchor to combat this rage inside him. Daryl opened his eyes and found Ashley had her arms wrapped around her torso protectively as she waited for another reaction from him. "Pack yer shit and put it in here. I don't want you around those assholes."_

" _Daryl.." Ashley began._

" _It ain't up fer debate," Daryl snapped as he looked at her waiting for her to refuse to which she didn't._

" _Okay, but Daryl when you go out there don't do anything impulsive, please." Ashley pleaded._

" _Ash, they left my fucking brother! They should be worried about Merle."_

" _I know, I know, but its just now with that Rick guy arriving. I feel things are changing and how him and Shane are best friend."_

_Daryl sighed knowing she was referring to how quickly Shane put him in that choke hold. However, Daryl was waiting for that friendship to shift considering how Shane helped Rick Grimes' family._

" _I'll be fine."_

" _Okay," Ashley said softly giving him her that smile. "Just be safe and cautious and come back, all right."_

_Daryl nodded his head as he chewed on his thumb nail. He stepped forward and she looked at him with wide eyes curious to what he was doing. He grabbed his gun out from his jeans and handed it to her._

" _Ya keep this on ya." He ordered as she took the gun and nodded before looking back up at him._

_The way she was looking at him made him feel uncomfortable. The feeling was suffocating him in the tent. "Just move yer shit." He grumbled as he exited his tent and he heard her let out a quiet laugh._

However, when he left the camp. The way her eyes looking at him as he paced in the truck a part of him told him he should have hugged her.

* * *

That night was the first night they slept together, not sexually, they just slept. He didn't know he could feel fear the way he did when he heard the screams coming from the quarry. He remembered the screams and cries. The walkers were tearing apart members of their camp, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He couldn't focus on the scene in front of him. His heart was pounding against his rib cage. After the carnage was over he remembered screaming her name so loud he thought he would strain his vocal cords.

But he found her when she called his name out weakly. She was buried under two walkers – dead ones – and she was crying. She tripped over a rock and two walkers followed her but she shot both of them with the gun he given her earlier. The gun was buried deep in the first ones head. She was covered in walker blood and he suspected that acted as camouflage for her. Her face was tear stricken as he checked her over for bites or scratches.

When it was clear she was free from injury he crushed her into a hug and her tears soaked his chest. He made sure to keep her face hidden from everything else as he was worried she would begin hyperventilating. Usually, Daryl didn't care for emotional women. But witnessing her cry so violently. Daryl didn't like it. He hated it. He hated seeing her cry and be so upset.

She eventually fell asleep after the hard hiccups and occasional whimper as he laid with her in his tent. She was cradled to his chest her arms around his torso.

He liked the way she felt against his chest.

* * *

Fueled by liquid courage was when he finally tasted her.

She tasted like peppermint.

She was fresh, clean, and intoxicating.

He was being mindful of her sore and briused lips, but he wanted more.

He wanted everything.

After Merle, the camp, and Jim, he wanted her. He was willing to take anything she had to offer.

Her body was making him burn. Her touch was igniting a trail of fire in him.

He only saw this ending one way to extinguish the heat that was rising between them like an inferno.

It didn't help she was wearing one of his t-shirt and no pants. Her legs were soft and smooth and he fit perfectly in between them.

She wasn't wearing a bra he discovered as his hand traveled up her shirt and cupped her breasts. He also discovered that her nose ring wasn't her only piercing.

It wasn't until he felt her nimble fingers underneath his shirt that caused him to tense and the fog of alcohol was wiped away.

Ashley wasn't like other girls. He wasn't going to take her when he was clearly drunk. She didn't need to see how scarred he truly was. He wasn't going to be able to be that guy she deserved and needed. There was no point in starting this shit knowing the circumstance of the world.

He pulled away from her and laid next to her in her bed as he got a handle on his breath.

He felt stupid for even taking it this far.

He was angry at himself for letting her in.

He was angry at himself for how much he wanted her.

He got up from the bed not even sparing her glance even as she called his name.

He thought he only had to fear walkers giving him a virus.

He was coming down with something and it was infecting him.

The symptoms already spreading.


	2. Patient Zero

 

* * *

He fucked up again.

He began to suspect they would go through this familiar cycle for as long as they were in this group and they were together.

It had been a few days since the _incident_ at the CDC.

The morning after, he knew Ashley was staring at him and looking for some type of acknowledge from him, but he kept his head down and focused on the hangover he was trying to get rid of along whatever Ashley was making him feel. Those symptoms were worse than the dreaded hangover. After breakfast, he knew Ashley was going to try and approach him so he made sure to avoid her room and his own room as she thought ahead of him and was waiting in his room to approach him, but he brushed her off even slamming the door before she even spoke. He thought at least he kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything in mock anger that he would regret.

Despite his avoidance of her, when Jenner tried to lock them in the building, his first and main concern really was to get Ashley out of the building and away from the suicidal man forcing everyone to take a swan dive.

It was such a close call – to close for his liking.

He still felt the vibration from the crash tickle his skin. He could still feel how tense and scared Ashley was underneath him as he had his body over her just in case there was shrapnel from the blast close enough to hit them. She fisted his shirt as if it was her lifeline as she buried her head into his chest. Her eyes squeezed tight like her thighs holding him to her the position reminiscent of his drunken splendor.

Leaving the desecrated building, they didn't talk in his rusted truck. They wordlessly unwrapped themselves from each other and followed the other vehicles to nowhere. Yet, as soon as they took their first stop she didn't hesitate to find another vehicle to ride in and worst of all it was Shane's jeep.

They stayed in Atlanta's city limit for a few days to gather supplies for their journey to Fort Benning and he soon discovered Ashley was officially ignoring, avoiding, and in his opinion frankly pissing him off.

She had begun to start getting too friendly with Rick's right hand man with all the talking in hushed tones, the laughter, and she was fucking smiling at him.

He didn't know what game she was trying to play, but she was going to be responsible for him killing a goddamn cop.

He knew he should have ignored it. If she wanted to fuck with someone who clearly was only using her as a rebound or distraction since the woman he couldn't have was treating him the same way Ashley was treating him. So be it.

Merle was right. Women were just fucking poison.

But he couldn't stop himself from _not_ watching them. He knew she knew he was watching her as she made exaggerated hair flips and went out of her way of making sure they never were left alone or too close to each other.

Daryl knew he should have never kissed her.

He should have never bothered with her.

Daryl gnawed on his thumbnail as he watched her with squinty eyes as she was checking her bruised lips with a compact mirror she found in a store while Shane was next to her talking. The red had been replaced with yellow. Still seeing the bruise he wished he had been the one to kill Ed and he hated how he felt some satisfaction as he watched Carol cave her husband's head with a pick axe.

Daryl huffed as he shook his head and went to check his brother's bike.

Ashley wasn't his problem anymore.

He was doing her a favor.

She could flirt with Shane all she wanted.

* * *

Ashley sat in the back of the RV looking at the passing scenery. They were on their way to Fort Benning due to Shane's insistence. She thought it was pointless, but she wouldn't admit that fact aloud. From what they discovered at the CDC from Jenner it didn't look like their was any type of structure in the world, but she thought it had been pretty clear to see that when the government napalmed the city early on.

She speculated when they arrived at Fort Benning, it was just going to be deserted and looted to its capacity. It could be some type of home, but it wasn't going to be a salvation she knew Shane was hoping for.

However, Ashley's thoughts kept scanning to the man that led the procession to their new destination. She couldn't see him this far in the back, but she could hear the growl from his bike. She thought the bike was only going to cause unwanted attention, but it wasn't a gas guzzler like his truck.

Ashley brought her knees up to her chest as she thought about Daryl.

At first, she had no intention of anything transpiring between any of the Dixon brothers. When they arrived at camp she was only being friendly since they were offering to provide food. From first impression, Merle was loud, obnoxious, and clearly racist and sexist. Daryl was quiet and stayed in the background. He only spoke if his brother was about to step over a cliff because no line clearly existed for Merle.

When she brought the brothers water it was just her being friendly. She didn't expect to have any future interactions passed that.

Yet, as the days passed, she saw how everyone went out of their way to ignore their existence despite the brothers supplying food that wasn't out of a metal can. So she started doing little things like thanking the brothers and making sure they ate.

She could admit she never fully adjusted to Merle. It seemed he was intent on pushing her buttons, but he never outright disrespected her. Yes, he said some sexist remarks that he thought constituted as flirting, but she just brushed him off. Since she moved down to the South, she had developed a thick skin to certain views from the citizens of where she lived. But most of all, it was clear to see that Merle was high of his rocker when he was at the quarry.

Daryl rarely talked at their time in the quarry, but she knew he watched and observed. She suspected he didn't even know he was doing it most of the time with his infamous scowl. She definitely knew he was watching her before he mentioned it on their botched target practice lesson.

He also showed her respect and would scold his brother if he did say something too offensive to her, but he kept quiet. He also always had something in his hands to keep him occupied especially his crossbow. He was either oiling the wire or cleaning it and its bolts. It was like an extra limb to him.

She will say the truth that she didn't find Daryl outright attractive. He was a attractive man, but Ashley wasn't really looking. Considering the state of the world she was more focused at the time on how to defend herself and waiting for Glenn to finally bring her some jeans.

It wasn't until she asked Daryl to teach her how to skin that she began noticing Daryl Dixon. She had been noticed his arms that were on display since it seemed sleeves were banned in his wardrobe and she knew that exclusively since she washed his clothes. Daryl was actually a handsome man. She liked that he looked like a man. She would admit she liked his ruggedness. He was always covered in dirt and sweat, it suited him perfectly.

She liked to think her feelings happened slowly. They didn't hit her like a wave threatening to drown her, but one that was built up over time. She didn't know how she even developed any type of feelings considering when he was watching over her cleaning his game he barely utter syllables. She attributed how she just felt relaxed and safe in his presence.

Plus, unlike the other men, he didn't act like she couldn't do anything because she was woman, Merle sure said sexist comments, but she knew he was impressed she was trying to learn survival tips from him and Daryl.

But before even that botched target practice, she knew Daryl wasn't the most experience or was rather uncomfortable when it either came to women or just plain attention. He blushed very easily which she thought was amusing considering his temperament.

Ashley could admit when he was showing her how to use his crossbow she intentionally brushed back against him more than needed be.

She didn't just expect the reaction she got so she decided it was best to leave him alone and most of it was because of her embarrassment.

It was clear to see beyond the redneck exterior that Daryl and Merle suffered. It was more obvious with Daryl as Merle's obnoxious exposition deflected you from getting too close. She saw how if she made some sudden movements Daryl would flinch. He also seemed uneasy and tense. It seemed he wanted to give off the vibe of general irritation and disinterest in everything and everyone. He also seemed unsure of himself. She knew when she would be in his camp he wanted to talk to her, but he seemed not able to find the words.

She didn't mean to not talk to Daryl for the rest of their duration at the quarry, but with the feelings the were blossoming and her embarrassment it prevented her from apologizing even though she wasn't sure how to apologize for crossing an boundary.

So in that time, she drove herself crazy with how she ruined a possible friendship with Daryl. So she tried to become more friendlier with everyone at camp. Not to say she wasn't friendly with them already, but she just didn't necessarily click with them especially once she began socializing with the Dixon brothers and they would talk down on the brothers as if they would hurt her.

Ashley never cared for Shane. Sure, he was nice and projected the macho man stereotype, but she hated how he talked down to her because she was one of the youngest adult girls next to Amy. With Amy, they were just two different people. Amy still had a childlike mentality. Andrea she didn't necessarily mind and her heart broke for her having to watch her sister be attacked from a walker and then be the one to put her down. Same went for Jim. She didn't interact with him too much, but he was nice and polite and she hoped he was at peace. Dale was like a grandpa to her. Glenn would always just have a soft spot in her heart due to her saving his Korean ass and he was nice. Lori she didn't have a clear synopsis of. She didn't want to judge the poor woman with how she grieved , but Ashley thought it was fucked up that Lori started sleeping with Shane and Ashley was still waiting for that shoe to drop.

Really, Ashley hung out with the kids and began to form a kinship with Carol.

It was clear that the woman was being abused and she didn't understand how everyone at camp turned a blind eye especially a cop. Ashley wouldn't tell Daryl, but Ed punching her in the mouth was deliberate as she had approached Ed multiple times about the way he treated his family and looked at his own daughter. She hated to say it, but she was glad Ed was torn apart by walkers.

But Carol was really nice to talk to. She didn't really engage in the gossip about what her relationship was with the Dixons and instead just asked her straight which she appreciated.

Though when she wasn't busy with other camp members, her thoughts went back to Daryl. At one point, she concluded for his behavior was that Daryl must have some girl already. Ashley made herself believe that story until he saw what Ed did to her face.

If he didn't care for her he wouldn't have threaten to gut a man for her. Despite it being morbid, Ashley was a little bit flattered Daryl would go to that depth in protecting her.

She thought something was happening between them as he ordered her to move her things in his tent and how he cared for her after the carnage. She would admit she felt mortified he let her cry so violently in his arms especially when she noticed Merle didn't return with him. The following morning, he didn't back away. He made sure she was okay before he went to handle the bodies.

Then they left for the CDC.

She rode with him in his truck. There wasn't any hand holding or anything. They just sat in a comfortable silence. She knew most people were unnerved by silence, but she didn't see the need for the constant chatter. After having her hand outside of the truck though, he did snap and barked at her to keep her hands inside the truck as if they were at an amusement park going on a ride.

Ashley gave him a mischievous smile as he scowled at her before she brought her hand back in. Then she remembered what Glenn told her about Merle when she was helping pack up before they left.

She knew Merle was hot-headed, but Rick didn't need to handcuff him to the roof even if he was asking for it. Her heart broke even more for Daryl as not only did Merle cut off his own hand, but he stole the guys' van and didn't even come back to the camp. Merle simply left him.

She told him if it was any consolation that she believed Merle was still alive out there surviving. She expected him to maybe snap at her for breaching a sensitive subject with him instead Daryl looked at her with his squinty eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead, he reached over and took her hand.

She lied.

There was some hand holding.

...

Arriving at the CDC, she didn't participate in the group indulging in alcohol. She wasn't much of a drinker before the apocalypse and she wasn't going to start it now. Instead, she just watched everyone let loose especially after what they went through. She could admit it was nice seeing Daryl unwind and some tension be released from his body. Yet, she didn't expect how much he would unwind.

She had just finished her shower when a knock came from her door. She creaked it open a little considering her attire, but she wasn't prepared for the site of Daryl Dixon leaning against her doorframe with a smile on his face.

Then he launched at her.

He began a sweet assault on her lips. She ignored that they were still tender as she became delirious from need and want for Daryl. She knew in the back of her mind that Daryl indeed was drunk and he probably wouldn't be this bold sober. But she did remember that drunken words and actions were sober thoughts. If he needed some liquid courage she wasn't going to object.

His calloused hands were roaming her body like a nomad causing a familiar pool of heat to stir inside her. However, when her hands crept under his shirt it all ended and he left her confused and feeling rejected.

The following morning, she expected something from him, but all she got was radio silence. Instead of being understanding she was pissed after he blatantly brushed her off when she sat waiting in his room for him.

She felt used.

He kissed her and now he was ignoring her.

And two could play that game.

The only thing she didn't account for was the added bonus of Shane. Shane was trying to flirt with her and she didn't necessary lead it on or anything. It honestly came out of left field. Maybe it was petty of her, but she noticed how Daryl was glaring at Shane. So she would interact with Shane – not flirting though – she just interacted back and maybe threw a few forced smiles and laugh.

Daryl needed to make up his mind, as the world was already uncertain and she wasn't interested in having a guessing game with her emotions on top of it.

Maybe it was wrong for her to provoke him, but she didn't care.

She didn't need the confusing emotions especially after he dragged her out of the CDC and became her personal body armor. The impression of his skin against hers would be something she would never forget.

Ashley laid out her legs and accidentally kicked her backpack to the ground. Picking it up an object fell to the ground. Ashley leaned over curiously as she didn't necessarily have anything heavy in her bag. Her heart nearly leaped to her throat when she picked up a never used sketchbook covering a pack of pencils.

* * *

It was quiet as the two trekked through the woods at night. The sound of cicadas highlighted the silence. It had been a day since Sophia got lost in the woods and hours since they were informed of Carl's gunshot injury . Daryl couldn't sleep as Andrea was making it a point to clean and put her gun back together rather loudly and Carol was weeping in the back curled in a ball. Then he realized he didn't know where Ashley was as he only heard one pair of footsteps atop of the RV.

Daryl got up from the floor and made his way out of the RV and told Dale he was going to head into the woods when her voice entered the conversation inviting herself. He immediately glared at Ashley as she was half the reason he couldn't sleep, but he felt some relief shoot through him as he knew where she was, but then he frowned as he didn't like the fact she was out here alone having Dale cover for her.

Yet, he just nodded his head and made his way over to the ramp and waited for her to cross over as they began walking in the woods.

Daryl would admit he was nervous. He knew yesterday before that herd came through she was about to approach him and then Sophia went missing and he left to go find her and she had been tending to Carol.

_Daryl headed out further in the search for gasoline and maybe something useful for the group. A part of him still wanted to leave the group, but he knew safety was in numbers. However, to be honest with himself he couldn't leave her. Despite them being at odds or whatever someone would label it, he knew he couldn't just up and leave. Daryl kicked at a discarded shirt on the ground. He hated how she got under his skin. All his life he had been able to avoid this. Women were just something to keep his dick wet and warm, according to Merle, but Daryl didn't find the satisfaction in just sleeping around disregarding how he felt about his physical body._

_That's why he couldn't let Ashley get this close. She would eventually see him the way he saw himself. He was nothing, but a redneck asshole._

_Daryl stuck the hose in his mouth to siphon some gasoline. He grinned internally as this car wasn't a bust. Yet, he felt a tingle in his spine causing him to turn his head and then he saw her weaving quietly in between the cars and decomposing corpses. Her knife out ready for an attack._

_Their eyes met and she gave him a timid smile the first interaction they had in days, but his eyes flicked passed her and his body filled with dread._

_Daryl left his red gasoline can and with rushed footsteps met up with Ashley. She went to speak, but he immediately put his fingers to his lips and mouthed to her "don't turn around." He saw the fear clear in her chocolate eyes. Daryl's eyes scanned the deserted highway and saw most of the group were laying low under the cars then he noticed a frantic T-Dog trying to hide, but covered in blood._

" _Ya need ta get under the car," Daryl ordered Ashley._

" _Where are you going?" Ashley asked fearfully._

_Daryl swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "Just git under the car, girl, I'll be back fer ya." Daryl demanded his eyes imploring into hers. "Do ya trust me?"_

_Ashley didn't hesitate in nodding her head._

_Daryl directed her under a car and he tried to in ignore the pit that was forming in his stomach. "Stay quiet and don't move until I come back fer ya okay?"_

_Ashley nodded her head at him and Daryl forced himself up as he stabbed a corpse in it's head making sure it was officially dead sliding it in front of Ashley's view._

Daryl realized he set himself up for a confrontation.

He knew Ashley was waiting for the moment to have him alone.

Women were _fucking_ slick.

"Thank you for the sketchpad." She said softly.

Daryl glanced back at her with the flashlight shining on her as she looked at him with those chocolate eyes. When they were looting a store, the sketchbook caught his eyes and he remembered the longing look Ashley had when she talked about her affinity for drawing. Before he realized it he had grabbed the damn thing and hid it from everyone's view and discreetly slipped it in her bag. He nodded his head, "Was nothin'." He muttered.

"It's something to me." She replied softly.

He merely scoffed as he didn't have time for some emotional powwow.

Nevertheless, his response seemed to piss her off as she marched in front him blocking his path and they engaged in a stare down. The tension was palpable and Daryl was sure it wasn't because they were both pissed.

"You kissed me," Ashley pointed out breaking the stare down pointing her finger at him jabbing him in the chest.

Daryl scowled. "Ya kissed back," Daryl countered as he gripped the strap to his crossbow.

"Yeah and you walked away and ignored me the following day. So I feel I am the only one entitled to feel hurt in this scenario," Ashley spat as she cocked her hips and placed her hands on them looking at him for an explanation.

Daryl released an frustrated sigh in response.

A part of him loathed himself for being a little turned on by a pissed off Ashley and how he would take her against a tree in the dark woods. It didn't help her jeans were practically painted onto her legs and her tight V-neck t-shirt showed some of her midriff as well emphasized her large breasts.

Walkers be damned.

All the same, his mind flashed of her and Shane making him grip his strap tighter making his knuckles white.

"Ya don't seem that hurt since yer all buddy buddy with that dick Shane." Daryl snarled.

"Well at least he has no problem showing he wants me." Ashley fired back. She knew she was playing with fire as her words made Daryl physically recoil from her.

"Ya fuckin' him that it?" Daryl snarled at her.

"Why do you care?" Ashley replied with an arched eyebrow.

Daryl's nostrils flared as he clenched his jaw and didn't reply. Instead he moved around her and continued to search for some trail for Sophia. All Ashley was doing was pissing him off and uncapping emotions he didn't want to deal with.

He heard her rushed footsteps coming after him and he felt her hand grip his arm. His usual response would be to remove himself from anyone's grasp and shake them off, but instead he stopped and waited for whatever she had to say.

Ashley sighed and gave him a humbled look. "I'm not messing around with Shane."

Daryl laughed. "Well ya could have fooled me."

"I'm not. I don't even like him. He is only paying attention to me because Lori is all about her husband now, Andrea is suicidal, and I don't think Carol is his cup of tea."

Daryl didn't say anything, but he narrowed his eyes at her when she began laughing.

"What are ya laughing fer?" Now she was really getting under his skin.

"You're jealous," she pointed out.

Daryl wasn't going to even entertain her accusation, but he was glad the darkness concealed his blush. He wasn't prepared for her to step closer to him where her chest was brushing against his. "You have no need to be jealous." She told him seriously and he just blinked at her and she quickly stepped back from him and wrapped her arms around herself protectively before continuing. Her voice hardening as she spoke seriously. "But you can't kiss me and then just avoid me without giving me any type of explanation. I understand the world is precarious just like our lives. It's not ideal for whatever we are… but tell me that. I think its obvious I have feelings for you but if you just want to be friends, I will accept it. I would rather be your friend than nothing at all. If you want me Daryl you got to tell me. I'm not expecting anything now especially since our group is scattered, but I will want something from you soon okay."

Daryl's mind swirled with what Ashley was telling him. She liked him. Now, their relationship was held in his hands. He appreciated though she wasn't rushing anything with him, but letting him take time to figure out what he wanted even though he already knew. But she was right their group was scattered. Sophia was missing. Carl got shot. They needed to be secured before he could really focus on this despite him knowing what he wanted.

Daryl didn't say, but walked up to her and placed a chaste kiss to her lips shocking both of them and nodded his head.

They walked in silence with their hands firmly clasped together before Ashley shared a story of how when she was about 6 she got lost in the woods with a group of friends when camping with friends and family. He swapped one with her about his time in the woods that left him with an itchy ass causing her to laugh even though he saw the sad eyes afterwards when he mentioned where his dad and Merle was through this ordeal. It made him think how he was different from her. They lived in two separate worlds. He could tell she came from a loving family. She had an relatively easy and normal childhood. She had a family that cared for her and didn't show their affection with fists and belts.

They didn't speak after discovering a walker hanging from the tree or on the walk back.

He liked how she was okay with silence. She didn't see the need for constant chatter.

Before they reached the road, she did pull him back giving him a kiss that did nothing for his new-found craving for her before telling him she would be waiting for his answer.

* * *

Daryl was irritable, cranky, angry, grumpy, and whatever the hell else could describe his mood as he scowled at Ashley.

He didn't mean to take what he was feeling out on her, but she was prodding and wouldn't just leave so he snapped.

He knew she was only trying to help.

He could barely move with this hole in his side, but he wasn't ready to reveal a side to himself to her. If he could barely look at them in the mirror how could she. He didn't want to see the look of pity or disgust on her face because then it would ruin everything.

Since that walk in the woods it seemed their relationship went back on track as it was in the quarry, but it was different. Now she would give him discreet hooded glances and caresses. He still hadn't given her a whole answer considering his mind was solely focused on finding Sophia, but it didn't stop her from making sure he had his bolts, clean clothes, and was properly fed before he went off to search for Sophia.

Daryl could admit he wasn't used to someone openly caring for him and just doing things for him because they wanted too. He was used to fending for himself. It was always him and Merle despite Merle being high out his mind and his own guidance was questionable, Merle still made sure Daryl was taken care of and knew how to take care of himself.

He also couldn't take how she seemed genuinely worried that he went off alone in the woods and he suspected now that he impaled himself on his own bolt wasn't helping her worries now either.

Yet, as they stared at each other after him snapping at her for trying to check his wound which would require for her to see his back, Merle's words swirled in his head about how people viewed them and how Ashley didn't really care for him. She was just doing all this for protection and she would leave him for guys like Rick, Shane, Glenn, and even T-Dog. He knew Merle was an hallucination from the blood loss and just voicing his insecurities, but there had to be a truth in them somewhere.

Ashley could have been using him just for protection. Whose to say when he left she didn't go mess around with Shane. Or she was laughing behind his back. He knew his mind was being irrational, but he knew sooner or later she wasn't going to see him but other than the redneck piece of trash he was.

A part of him was scared she would see that. He wondered why she wanted him when he had nothing to offer. Hell, he never been in a real relationship. He couldn't understand why she chose him out of all the guys here.

Now they were in a standoff as he had the covers wrapped around him hiding his torso and back while Ashley stood at the edge of the bed her hand running through her long brown hair that was down. His fingers itched to run through it as he remembered how soft it was at the CDC. Ashley had taken to wearing her shorts on the farm since it seemed relatively safe and she had a tight grey cami on with one of his button downs over it.

Daryl could admit he felt a little smug knowing she was wearing his clothes.

He watched as she sighed in defeat and her hand smacked against her thigh as she took a seat in one of the lounge chairs.

_Ashley sat down and ran her agitated hands through her hair as she avoided looking at Daryl as she pursed her lips. She didn't know where his hostility was coming from. All she wanted to do was to change his dressing on his wound. He wouldn't be able to do it himself and she volunteered for Hershel after he explained what to look for if an infection was evident._

_But it was like pulling teeth with Daryl. She wiped her bangs out of her face and she needed to figure out if she was going to cut them or grow them out as she looked back at Daryl who was looking at her apprehensively._

" _You have to give me something here, Daryl." She said quietly. He could bitch all he wanted, but he was going to explain to her why he was acting the way he was._

" _Why can't ya just go. All ya women do is nag and nag. Just git the fuck out." He grumbled. Ashley thought it was at least nice he wasn't yelling anymore._

_Ashley looked at him with narrowed and she saw how he was clenching the blanket. He was hiding something. "Fuck it." She exclaimed. "Let me see the wound Daryl." She ordered leaving no room for protest._

_Daryl looked down at her and he knew he wasn't going to get out of this._

" _Fine," he spat pissed off and dropped the sheet and turned around._

_He waited for the pity and that "I'm sorry" but all that happened was she began removing his dressing in silence. Now he was pissed she was not even acknowledging his marred back._

" _When you take your shower don't soak these and when you come out I can put the ointment on them." She finally said while throwing away his old dressings. Her voice was distant. "I'll be back with some clean clothes alright."_

_Daryl looked at her in confusion laced with irritation when he latched on her arm, "So yer not going to say anything?" He asked hotly._

" _Do you want to talk about it?" She asked back to which he gave no answer to. "Yeah, that's what I thought." She said ripping her arms out of his grasp suddenly angry leaving him baffled as she walked towards the door, but stopped and turned to face him. "I know, Daryl, that you obviously went through some shit in your life I know I probably will never be able to relate to and maybe understand. I don't expect you to lay it all out for me either, stuff like that takes time and we just met. But instead of getting defensive and rude just talk and tell me your uncomfortable or its a sensitive subject to you that your not ready to talk about. Or did you think I would be so cruel to judge you and look at you in disgust because that hurts me, that you would think so low of me. Your past – your pain and struggles – won't change how I feel about you. But I can't do this if you keep trying to push me away or shut me out. Stop looking at me if I am just going to walk away or stop caring." Her voice cracked at the end before she walked out the room._

It seemed their relationship hit another roadblock. She had returned to the room with his clothes placed neatly on the edge of the bed, but she was nowhere to be seen. He decided to place the antibacterial ointment on himself after she didn't come to his room.

He was worried he may have finally pushed her away. What she said was partially true. He didn't understand why someone like her was drawn to him. He was nothing. He was a nobody yet the way she looked at him made him feel like he was somebody. He was worth something. He was something to her.

She did return and she pursed her lips in a thin line as he went ahead and exerted himself in putting the ointment on while she apparently was getting his tent clean and ready for him as after a day coped up in Hershel's house was driving him crazy.

He thought she was still upset with him as she kept quiet as Rick helped him out the house while she stayed in the back following them. She was quiet as she made sure he was comfortable on his cot and had important items like water and some food to snack on his small side table.

He knew he should have been the first to say something, but he was emotionally constipated when it came to this.

However, before she left, she planted a soft lingering kiss on his lips.

* * *

Daryl sat and looked at the dancing flames as the darkness cloaked him.

He couldn't exactly describe what he was feeling after seeing the result of his overzealous search for Sophia. He looked for that little girl everyday disregarding the cold hard facts that with each passing day the possibility of her being alive slimmed. Sure, she had a multitude of people looking for her, but now they had walkers.

Daryl felt a surge of anger burst through him towards Carol. Maybe her little girl would have survived if she wasn't so meek and didn't coddle the little girl into being like her. On top of that, Carol couldn't even attend her own daughter's funeral, which pissed him off even more.

Daryl just didn't know if he was just projecting his anger on the distraught mother. She could grieve in her own damn way.

However, Olive Oyl had the nerve to demand that he should go look for her husband like he was a search dog. He didn't understand why she didn't go ask her boyfriend, Shane.

He was tired of it. He was tired of all these people.

This group was a fucking mess. It was broken.

He didn't know how long he was staring into that fire when he heard her footsteps approaching hesitantly. He didn't say anything as she walked closer before taking a seat next to him on the ground.

He honestly was so focused in on his anger regarding his wounded vain in Sophia that he didn't even register that he barely interacted with Ashley all day, but maybe that was good for her because he knew if she tried to cosset him he would have snapped and said some nasty things. Hell, she was already slightly pissed with him when she caught him trying to use a horse to look for Sophia again causing him to throw the saddle in frustration. He didn't even know why he threw it. Maybe it was out of pride because he couldn't deal with being injured and she was overwhelming him.

As his eyes wondered over to her form wrapped in a black hoodie, he suspected she knew he needed space and if he really needed her she would know like now.

"Missed you at dinner," she said softly looking into the flames.

Daryl scoffed at the thought of eating dinner and acting like today didn't happen wasn't on his mind.

Ashley brought her legs up and rested her chin on her knees as she looked at him with sad eyes. "Don't shut me out, Daryl."

Daryl removed his gaze from the fire and looked at her. "What do ya want from me, girl?"

"You. Just you," she replied with a smile that even lit up her eyes.

Brown and blue clashed as they stared silently at each other. Daryl broke his gaze away first as he stood up and extended his head for her to grab as he led her back to his tent.

Daryl could admit he was nervous as he thought about what he was actually doing.

He wasn't drunk. He was fully aware of his actions. His palms were sweating as he thought about where he was going from here. She had turned on the light when he zipped his tent. The low light was dim and he was thankful it was dark enough to hide his blush, but light enough to highlight her body.

She wasn't unsure like he was.

She was waiting for him to make the move.

Daryl moved closer to her, his eyes roaming her body like prey. Her scent of rain flooded his senses calming him somewhat, but he was sure his heart could be heard pounding against his chest.

Ashley smiled up at him, "Put your hands on me." She whispered as her body was still, wanting him to take the lead to be in charge.

Daryl looked at her with uncertainty before she grabbed his hand and placed it right on her left breast protected by her bra urging him.

This wasn't the frantic and heated session they had at the CDC. Daryl came closer and moved his hand from her breast and he heard her mewl at the loss of his touch before his hands found the zipper to her black hoodie removing it from her body.

She was in a tight fitted t-shirt and black jeans. His hands found his place at her hips as his thumbs slipped under the fabric of her shirt feeling her soft smooth skin and he felt her shiver.

Daryl never really appreciated the female form formally. In the past everything was rushed. He didn't take time to marvel in their beauty and a part of him was glad as he didn't want to know another's body like he would Ashley's.

A part of him was scared his seasoned hands would somehow lacerate her blemish free skin. His hands traveled up from his hips to her ribcage then underneath her breasts before he removed her shirt all together and from the light he could see that she was wearing a bright blue neon bra.

"They match your eyes." She whispered.

It caused Daryl to snort while she released a quiet laugh as he played with the strap and his hands went to the back and unclipped her bra freeing her mounds. Ashley let the bra fall before throwing it not caring where it landed.

Daryl eyes were glued to her chests and the metallic glint located on her nipples.

"Do you trust me?" Daryl's ogling was broken by her voice and he looked at her confused before he nodded his head bemused. The words similar to what he uttered to her on the highway.

Ashley stepped forward causing him to flinch on instinct and she placed a deep kiss on his lips as her hands made work in unbuttoning his flannel. She didn't remove it fully, but as it was undone he felt her hands snake inside causing him to stiffen as they graced over his scars. The kiss was broken slightly as she whispered against his lips, "It's only me, Daryl."

Daryl didn't reply, but pressed an persistent kiss to her lips as she removed his flannel completely. The proximity of the kiss brought their naked chests together causing them both to groan as he brought her down to his cot. Him fitting snug in between her thighs as he remembered.

Daryl groaned in Ashley's mouth as she grinded herself into the friction of their respective jeans making them both gasp. It wasn't helping Ashley's hands were roaming everywhere on his body over stimulating him especially as she snaked her hands down in his jeans after unbuttoning them.

"Fuck, Ash," Daryl hoarsely whispered as he removed his lips from hers burying his head in her neck as he sucked harshly on her skin before soothing it with his tongue. A deep chuckle laced with a moan was her response and before he blew his load too quickly he grabbed both of her hands pinning them above her head.

Her lips were glistening and swollen from his. He could see her skin was flushed as her brown eyes looked black like a demon's eyes from arousal.

He licked his lips as he brought his lips down enclosing them over one of her pierced orbs causing her to arch her back in satisfaction. Daryl released her arms and her hands immediately went to his short hair tugging on them as his free hand kneading the hard bud to a peak on her other breasts. Daryl lapped at the rosebud and provided friction enclosing his teeth bringing her a sharp pinch of pain.

"Daryl," she moaned in response bucking her hips making him smile releasing the nipple with a loud pop.

Daryl pulled back from her as he unbuttoned her jeans sliding them down her legs with her underwear. She immediately went to close her legs together, but he immediately stopped them.

"No need ta be shy, girl." He said as he rubbing circles on her thigh while his other hand found her hot sodden center causing her whole back to arch of the cot. "Shit, girl, your fucking soakin'." Daryl murmured.

"Because I'm horny as fuck," he heard her whine as he worked her before inserting a second finger. "Fuck, Daryl."

Daryl wasn't exactly experienced in giving pleasure he could admit in the past he was more of a selfish lover it was all about getting him off, but damn he didn't know it was such a turn on watching a girl coming undone.

"Fuck, Daryl, stop," Ashley said making him stop abruptly as she squeezed her quivering thighs around his arm trapping his hand.

Daryl looked at her confused before she clarified seeing his confusion, "I want you inside me, now."

Daryl didn't need to be told twice as he removed his hand sucking her juices real quick as he undone his zipper. He kicked off his pants and boxers and settled back in between her thighs and was coating himself in her juices when she stopped him.

"What-" He asked as fear coated him that she suddenly realized she may not have wanted this. She didn't want him.

"What do you want from me, Daryl?" She whispered interrupting him. Her dark eyes clashing with his blues ones a part of him was scared at what he was receiving and giving.

Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat. "You. Just you." He replied echoing her words.

He wondered if she ever inflicted anyone the way she had him.


	3. Treatment

**Even though this story is completed I would still appreciate a review!**

* * *

Overprotective wasn't exactly the word that could be used to describe Daryl Dixon when it came to Ashley Williamson.

Hovering could be a synonym, but it still didn't cover the capacity of the weariness that overtook Daryl's being when it came to Ashley's safety and general well-being.

Ever since the fall of Hershel's farm, the knowledge that men had succumb to violating the living, and Dale's death, Daryl Dixon had practically attached a leash to his woman. If it were possible he would have implanted a tracking device in the base of her neck and it still wouldn't be enough.

Despite Daryl wanting to shield his woman from having to be on the front lines during a battle it wasn't practical for her safety. Plus, a part of him didn't find it attractive in any women to be completely dependent on their man. Sure, it stroked his ego to have someone depending on him, but he liked that Ashley could handle herself in a situation if need be.

Immediately after the farm, he really gave Ashley Hunting and Tracking Class 101 that she had initially requested during their time at the quarry. With the whole group as well, they were making sure their shooting skills were sharp as well as their hand to hand combat. In personal training sessions with Ashley he had turned into a drill sergeant when it came to her offense and defense skills.

Despite, Ashley trying to diverge his attention a few times.

" _Quit it, Ash. This is serious," Daryl said as he stood behind her as he was helping adjust her stance, but she was too busy rubbing against him or sending suggestive comments his way. It wasn't helping that since their night at Hershel's farm there wasn't exactly alone time for either of them. Additionally after their first time together, once the desire was cleared from his system he realized they didn't use protection, which was extremely reckless move on his part. Daryl didn't want Ashley to end up like Lori and it wasn't as if condoms were easy to come by._

_Ashley turned to Daryl who was in drill instructor mode. When they were out in the woods it was like she was in military school. However, in her mind they couldn't always be all work and no play. She knew Daryl's resolve was slowly deteriorating each day. Ashley turned her focus back on the heavy crossbow that was in her hands. To her surprise, Daryl had insisted she know how to manage his precious baby. To no one's surprise, it was a struggle, but more so because the thing weighed a ton and it strained her arms. Daryl had been scouting for one suited for her frame, but there was no such luck._

" _Daryl, can you at least make it a little fun. Like maybe if I hit a bull eyes I can get a little reward." Ashley suggested with a small pout on her face._

_Daryl looked at Ashley with an raised eyebrow as he stood next to her, "Like what?"_

" _I don't know…I could suck your dick." Ashley stated bluntly._

" _Good lord, woman," Daryl exclaimed at her bluntness while his cheeks were painted in red, but he couldn't help the twitch he felt in said area. "I don't see how that is much of a reward fer ya. Seems more fer me."_

_Ashley looked at him with a mischievous glint in her chocolate eyes, "Oh trust me, nothing is more satisfying than watching you coming undone because of me. It's actually a turn on." She told him before she focused back on the makeshift target he made and hit a bull eyes, at least some his tips were sticking. Ashley turned back and looked at him with an raised eyebrow, "So?"_

_Daryl nibbled on his lip. The last thing he wanted was a walker to stubble on him with his pants down literally. "You're a little minx ya know that."_

" _Only for you." Ashley cooed as she drew closer to him and planted a soft kiss on his lips when she reached him her hands working on his belt buckle before she sunk down on her knees._

Besides falling as prey to his woman's wicked ways, Ashley was a becoming quite a fighter. Walkers were easy for her to take down. And it was a turn on watching her take them down he could admit on surprise chances they happen to surprise them.

He just knew it was the actual living that may be her weakness. He remembered the terror that overtook her eyes when they were in his tent back at the farm that she revealed she was scared Randall was there.

_Daryl sat in his tent flexing his hand making sure he didn't do too much damage as he looked at his inflamed knuckles caked in blood from his interrogation with the stranger in the shed. A part of him was pissed Rick, Hershel, and Glenn brought the kid back because with how this group was it was only going to cause more conflict. A part of him could agree with Shane on the notion that the kid could bring trouble to the group. Daryl grabbed a bottle of water and his red rag from his back pocket as he coated it with water when he heard footsteps outside his camp before the figure unzipped the door._

_Ashley's form entered the tent. She didn't say anything when he revealed what the kid witnessed and claimed to not take a part in so he didn't know exactly how she was feeling._

_She gave him a small smile before she zipped the tent close._

_Daryl watched silently as she approached him. It had been a week since that night. Daryl thought it was a dream before he woke up with her snuggled into his side resting contently in his arms. Since then, Ashley had moved her things in his tent, which practically declared that they were something to the camp. Nobody commented on it except of course Shane._

" _Here let me," she said extending her hands out for him to hand over the rag and water. Daryl did as she asked and it was still quiet as she focused on cleaning his hands. She was quiet, too quiet for his liking._

" _Ya know I had to do it right?" Daryl said breaking the silence, his voice was unsure if they needed to discuss what he needed to do or if it was better left unsaid. They needed answers out of the boy and sure it could be considered borderline torture, but it needed to be done for the safety of the group – for her._

" _I know, I understand," Ashley told him still looking down at his hands. She truly did understand. She didn't necessarily like it that Daryl had to be the one to do it or to really have the knowledge and image that Daryl could be capable of being the groups go-to guy for cruel treatment. Yet, she understood the world was different. People were different. It was anarchy and she knew and trusted Daryl would do what was necessary to keep them safe._

_Daryl looked at her with a frown as he watched her face become even more despondent. He removed his hands from her hold and forced her to look up at him. "Ash –" Daryl began to say to find some more answers from her, but she spoke._

" _I'm scared, Daryl," she revealed as she chewed on her bottom. The last thing she wanted was for Daryl to view her as some weak girl always needing saving or to be coddled. "God, you probably think I am we-"_

" _Don't finish that thought," Daryl growled at her as his own face held a frown and he nibbled on his own lip before shaking his head._

_Daryl sighed before he pulled Ashley close to him her smell of rain flooding his senses. Her face was buried in his neck and his lips ghosted over the crown of her head. "As long as I'm here nothing gonna' happen ta ya. Ya understand me, girl?"_

_Ashley nodded her head and he felt her playing with his leather vest before she spoke again, "I can't help, but worry. He has 30 men –"_

" _Ash –" Daryl tried to stop her thoughts before she made herself hysterical. He knew he wouldn't be able to handle seeing her cry._

" _You know it would kill me if anything happened to you, Daryl." Ashley told him cutting him off as she looked up at him while his eyes looked down to her. His blues eyes clouded from whatever he was feeling._

" _Dixons ain't easy to kill, girl, ya don't have to worry," Daryl told her after digesting her words._

_Ashley placed a kiss on his scruffy jaw before relaxing against him relishing in his warm and protective hold._

Since then Daryl vowed he would do whatever in his power to make sure Ashley would never be exposed to men like that in the world. The way her chocolate eyes looked so terrified it seared him. He never wanted to see that type of fear come across her face ever again.

So he made sure that she was capable of defending herself if god forbid something ever happened to him. Because he could admit he had one extremely close call where he thought Rick would have had to but a bullet through his skull and deliver bad news to Ashley.

_Months on the road together, Rick and Daryl had become a dynamic duo. Daryl had noticed that Rick had harden and changed since he had to be the one to kill Shane and officially declare he was their leader. To Daryl, it seemed that Rick having to kill his best friend shattered some of the illusions he may have had about the world and how it was. Daryl could admit that type of act of having your best friend's blood on your hands was a messed up situation mentally, but on the positive note it seemed it was needed for Rick to become the leader this group needed._

_The words Carol threw at Daryl after the fall of the farm stuck with him how she felt he was the leader the group needed to which he disagreed. Daryl actually pitied that Rick decided to put the weight of everyone on his shoulders. Daryl could never imagine carrying on that weight especially to the extent Rick was. He honestly was confused on why Carol was adverse to Rick or even if she still was._

_He knew Rick wasn't perfect by all means and despite Rick claiming that their group didn't operate under a democracy anymore they still did. Rick wasn't a total tyrant. He was just a man who didn't want his wife to give birth in a ditch on the side of the road. He was a man that wanted his group – friends – to have a life worth living._

_Despite his initial reaction about the Sheriff with the whole Merle situation, Daryl could say he trusted his life and Ashley's life with Rick and that said a whole lot. Daryl didn't trust anyone and somehow in this fucked up world he trusted 10 people to make it through all this bullshit._

_Now him, Rick, and T-Dog were looting through some houses to find anything useful for the group. T-Dog was keeping watch making sure no stranglers or a herd would come through as since being on the road the group wasn't coming across the occasional three or four walkers but groups of twenty. Rick and him entered the seemingly abandoned house walking quietly in case a walker managed to surprise them._

_They were entering the dining room when Daryl heard the first creak coming from the ceiling causing him to motion to Rick to stop moving as they both looked up as the sounded pounded against the ceiling again debris falling like snow._

_Daryl could tell by the slow and heavy movement vibrating the wood that it was a walker, probably, trapped in the room. It was then he noticed the ceiling and how it seemed waterlogged and the wood was chewed through and rotted._

_Then it all turned to utter chaos in a matter of seconds. He didn't even have the chance to even prepare for it when the ceiling cracked and a walker and a fucking tub fell through the ceiling near him. Of course the walker fell on him._

" _Fuck," he hollered as he heard Rick shout his name._

_Daryl was lucky he never panicked too much in these situation as he grabbed what he recognized as a female walker by her hair trying to make him a chew toy. He was lucky he was wearing his leather jacket or he would have totally been scratched by now._

_His crossbow was across the room and he felt the hair coming loose as it was tearing off her rotting scalp before a knife was plunged in the middle of her head popping out the walker's eye causing blood to splash across his face. Daryl immediately threw the walker off him and Rick extended his hand helping him up and he saw T-Dog entering with his crowbar a little too late._

" _You bit?" Rick asked concerned and Daryl could see the fear in his eyes._

" _Naw," Daryl replied checking himself to make sure and he exhaled a deep breath as he was clean and healthy. "Fuck that was close." Daryl muttered as he wiped his face with his rag cleaning it of blood._

_Rick exhaled a relieved breath, "You had me scared for a minute."_

" _Don't tell Ash." Daryl said pointedly to the two men. She already worried enough and if she found out about this close call she definitely wouldn't let him out of her site._

_T-Dog nodded his head while Rick just gave him a hesitant look before eventually conceding._

_Daryl walked over to where his crossbow was thrown and grabbed it before walking back giving the dead corpse a kick to the head._

_Daryl wouldn't admit it aloud, but when they returned from that run. He never felt more elated to have Ashley in his arms with her legs around his waist as she welcomed him back home – which was her._

* * *

Dating wasn't a word she would use to describe her and Daryl. It felt weird even though that was the technical label to their relationship. As they were an item longer and longer, the protectiveness surged and Ashley found herself being on the sidelines from going on runs. It seemed somehow Glenn jumped on Daryl's insistence of keeping their woman out of danger as she found herself standing next to Maggie sending their men off.

Ashley wasn't going to complain even though a part of her was extremely turned on by this side of Daryl, she was a little irked. Daryl had become a drill sergeant in making sure she could defend herself, but constantly benched her doing simple things like going on runs that benefited the whole group. It wasn't all the time he used his place as Rick's right hand man to voice his stance on her going on runs, but it was 98% percent of the time.

It wasn't as if she was exactly jumping at the chance to go on runs knowing the danger, but a part of her hated watching Daryl always leaving and she was left with the worry of something happening to him. She, of course, trusted his ability and skill in surviving. She and the rest of the group knew for a fact they wouldn't have gotten as far as they had if it wasn't for Daryl's expertise in the art of survival.

It was just now she understood the behavior that Lori exhibited in freaking out every time Rick risked his life for the group. Sure, Ashley believed some of it may have been exaggerated by the now known pregnancy hormones and maybe those Rose colored glasses that Rick finally shattered when he killed Shane.

Ashley huffed as she shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she watched Daryl and Rick pack their duffle bags for a run they were going on. The winter weather was getting thicker than any one of them anticipated and they were currently staying in a motel that was making everyone twitchy considering how open it was and susceptible to danger.

Ashley chewed on her lip anxiously when Daryl's eyes caught hers and he jerked his head to her and she walked towards him. She hated the symptoms that came with watching him leave as the only remedy was him returning.

"I'll be fine, Ash," Daryl told her as she reached him.

Despite them being together and everyone in the group knowing that they were Daryl was still uncomfortable with public display of affection. She, of course, respected that and he needed to become more comfortable in their relationship, but she knew when she did things like this that were noticeable he didn't know how to navigate through it properly. He wasn't used to someone caring for him, still.

Ashley pushed her bangs out of her eyes as she looked at him. "I know, but I can't help but worry."

"Ash-"

"I know, this doesn't help either," Ashley mumbled. "You know I would feel better if you would let me trim your hair. Having hair in your eyes doesn't ease my worries." Ashley said pushing some of his growing hair out of his face. His dark hair wasn't that long, really, she actually kind of like how it was growing out since he made sure to hide the clippers when she tried to coax him to at least let her trim it.

Daryl grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on her palm a smile tugging at his lips. "When I get back ya can cut it, alrigh'." Ashley didn't respond and Daryl brought her into a hug. His scent of woods and leather invaded her senses as she buried her head into his chest. "Ash."

Ashley sighed and brought her head up trying to plaster some sort of smile on her face. "Ya know I hate leavin' ya too." He told her.

Ashley stood on her tiptoes and brought Daryl into a deep kiss before pulling back a fraction, "Just think that is a preview for what's to come when you get back." She told before planting one last quick kiss on his lips. Ashley had turned to walk away from him when she felt a sharp sting on her butt and squealed. "Daryl."

"That's what ya get fer being a tease."

...

Ashley gave Daryl a wave before he left the parking lot of the motel with Rick and she felt the familiar arms of Carol redirect her back to the group.

Between all the women, Ashley's deepest bond was with Carol. Nothing would ever rival the bond they had formed. It was strange to Ashley since her and Carol essentially had nothing in common with each other besides trying to survive in this new world. She didn't know how her and Carol seemed to just hit it off.

But this scene of Carol directing her back to the camp was a familiar scene she was getting used to.

" _You're good for him. You give him something to come back to." Carol expressed as they watched the men leave on another supply run. The moral of the group was still low as they were still mourning the promise of the farm. Carol, however, decided to focus on some of the positives despite her being somewhat weary and skeptical of Rick's capability of leading them. She meant what she said when she told Daryl that he was a man of honor and more than Rick's henchman. Carol could admit she might have been biased considering her fondness for Daryl grew out of him searching for her little girl everyday. So she was happy that Daryl had someone like Ashley._

_Back at the quarry she saw something brewing between the two. The relationship was practically a scandal. She could admit she was a bit concerned because of the obvious age gap, but who was Carol to judge especially in this new world. People deserved to be happy and age really was just a number._

_Carol did sympathize with Ashley in having to watch the men leave constantly to look for food or a new shelter. The anticipation of their return wasn't something that would ever be something they could get use too._

" _He's good for me," Ashley countered back._

_Carol gave Ashley a reassuring squeeze, "You shouldn't worry you'll get premature wrinkles."_

_Ashley snorted, but she knew Daryl was going to come back to her._

Despite Carol's reassuring words and the common knowledge of her relationship with Daryl, she felt one person wasn't thrilled with her or she made it a point to avoid her or any type of girl talk about relationships. It wasn't exactly a secret that Lori and Rick's relationship had crumbled like the hope of the farm being a permanent place to settle down.

Rick barely interacted with his wife. He seemed to have put up this cold front with her.

Ashley felt bad for Lori, considering she was pregnant and even though Ashley didn't like to think so negatively about the birth, Lori did conceive Carl by an emergency C-Section. This unborn child was most likely going to have to be conceived the same way and even with Hershel's medical background with animals a multitude of things could go wrong. She knew it wasn't helping Lori that Rick wasn't there for her emotionally and physically.

Yet, Ashley could feel some of the resentment Rick was probably brewing inside knowing his wife was with another man – his best friend, who he killed – and she was now pregnant. The identity of the father wasn't exactly a secret. She knew it wouldn't change the fact Rick would raise the baby as his own, but it still was worse than a walker bite for Rick.

Ashley wasn't even sure if either of them admitted the true nature of the riff. It seemed everyone just knew that Lori had been with Shane.

Ashley definitely knew back at the quarry. It wasn't as if Lori hid her sex hair entirely well after pawning Carl on her to follow Shane in the woods. Also, Shane didn't necessarily hid the smug look on his face that he just got laid.

Ashley really didn't try to judge. How Lori grieved was her own business, but she decided to grieve with her husband's best friend and her husband hadn't even been a memory for a month.

Ashley thought maybe that was why her and Lori didn't exactly become friends. She respected Lori enough, but she didn't go out of her way to make too much conversation especially after her and Lori did exchange some words after Ashley had starting becoming closer to the Dixon brothers.

_Ashley had a small smile on her face as she held the dead animals on a string to cook as she walked back to the main camp. She still hadn't got the nerve to ask Daryl to maybe show her how to skin as she immediately crossed Merle out for him probably wanting sex as a compensation for his time. Merle, of course, was his usual talking self, but Daryl actually spoke more with a little urging from his brother as they told some stories about their great hunts and Daryl elaborated more on the Chupacabra story he apparently told on the first night of camp that she missed. She didn't exactly say she didn't believe him especially since there were walking corpses roaming the earth, but he lost some credibility when Merle joked about the shrooms he took beforehand._

" _Now what is the reason behind that smile."_

_Ashley slightly jumped at the sound of Lori's voice breaking her from her thoughts. "Oh, hey, Lori, I got the meat." Ashley said showing her the meat._

_Lori nodded before walking over to the table. "So can I ask about the smile?"_

" _Just thinking about a story Daryl told me," Ashley replied as she took the meat off the string._

" _You been spending a lot of time over with them." Lori stated cautiously, but her tone held concern - judgment._

" _You mean Merle and Daryl," Ashley clarified._

" _Yes," Lori said somewhat apologetically. "We are just concerned, that's all."_

_Ashley looked up at Lori with squinty eyes and interrupted, "Concerned about what exactly?"_

" _Ashley, you're young and we just don't want to see you being taken advantage off. Those brothers – especially Merle – are loose canons –"_

_Ashley shook her head and put her hands up indicating for Lori to stop talking, "Look if you guys have problems with the Dixons that is your guys problem. I don't want none of it. Merle and Daryl have done nothing wrong to me and I don't appreciate the insinuation that I am some young and impressionable girl." The venom was heard clearly in Ashley's voice._

" _Ashley, I'm sorry, I wasn't –" Lori said beginning to stammer over her words._

" _No you were." Ashley emphasized. "Don't worry about my relationship with any of the Dixons. If anything happens you can say "I told you so" but until then worry about your own relationship." Ashley ended leaving the meat for Lori to deal with as she stormed over to her tent annoyed._

After that her and Lori didn't really talk unless it was about who was going to do their share of the laundry, cleaning, or cooking. Ashley necessarily didn't hold grudges especially now since their lives were hanging on a thread. Yet, it seemed Lori had.

She saw the looks Lori threw towards her and Daryl if there was even an remote fraction of PDA. She saw pain flash through Lori's face before it hardened. Ashley would expect that there was some jealously being shot her way.

Ashley wasn't sure how to navigate through that situation and she decided it was best to let Lori deal with whatever she was feeling on her own. Ashley didn't want to upset Lori considering her condition if there was more to Lori's behavior than she suspected. Lori mostly stuck to Carol's side who was learning from Hershel about the medical terminology and procedures regarding birth and other potential medical situations.

So that left Ashley back in her role of hanging out with the young ones. Carl, however, wasn't too ecstatic about anything and was sulking about being treated like a kid. So he insisted on taking watch over the group when the men left and when the men were around he would try and wiggle his way into knowing his father's plans for the group. Rick's behavior was definitely rubbing off on his first born son.

Beth was a little more easier to get along with. Despite their grim circumstances, Beth was able to maintain her positive outlook on life. It was refreshing to Ashley. She hated that someone like Beth would have to live through this life. When their talk would turn to relationships that was when Ashley's heart broke for Beth.

" _Do you love, Daryl?" Beth asked as they made bracelets from a dusty box of beds and strings they found in the temporary home for the night as they sat by the fire. Ashley wasn't going to attempt sleep without Daryl by her side as he was on watch much to Daryl's chagrin. She was sitting by the fire attempting to draw in the dim light when Beth emerged after having a nightmare with a dusty box she found in her room._

_Ashley didn't know how to respond. She didn't not love Daryl, but she wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling. More so, she didn't want to scare Daryl if she let him see how strong she was feeling. "I am happy with him." Ashley responded to the teenager._

_Beth gave her a sad smile, "You're lucky. I don't think I will ever get what you and Daryl have…Maggie and Glenn."_

_Ashley stopped her ministration of slipping a bead on her string as she frowned at the blonde young woman in front of her. She couldn't exactly deny Beth's accusation because it could slightly be a lie and she didn't want to give the girl false hope. Yet, if Maggie and Glenn were able to find each other it wasn't like it was a snowball's chance. "Beth –"_

" _No," Beth interrupted. "I accepted it. I'm being realistic. It's nothing to feel sad or cry about. I'm done feeling that way."_

_Ashley didn't reply back. She didn't know what she could possibly say. The two women sat in silence while they finished making their set of bracelets before Beth handed her a bracelet made from black string. The beads spelled "Daryl" with a heart at each end._

Besides Beth, when Maggie wasn't off necking with Glenn, the two had become best friends. It was actually nice having someone around the same age to talk to. Sometimes, Ashley was able to delude herself in thinking the world wasn't the way it was by how her and Maggie could talk about their relationships and the state of their bodies like normal young women. It was also nice to have someone to back her up when their respective partners were being pigheaded. Luckily, for Maggie, Glenn was easily able to be swayed as Maggie clearly wore the pants in their relationship. Ashley had to deal with the unmovable force known as Daryl Dixon. She never met such a stubborn man. He had an incredible resolve that she couldn't crack when it really came to her safety. Sure, she could tease all she wanted during target practice, but he became immune to her teases if she tried to become more involved in runs.

She was really trying to be patient as she knew Daryl probably didn't realize how insanely overprotective he was being. It almost felt suffocating how he was trying to shield her from everything. It was one of the reasons Daryl was particularly grumpy for this current run as they were going to sweep the house. It was also one of the first serious disagreements that the two had since they began their relationship.

" _Daryl, I am going on this run." Ashley declared vehemently after Daryl dragged her away from Rick, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl, and T-Dog. His arms were crossed with his hands tucked under his arms as he looked at her with a clenched jaw. His trusted crossbow slung across his muscular back._

" _Why are ya itching to become walker bait?" Daryl snapped harshly._

_Ashley pursed her lips at Daryl's tone of voice before she calmly replied. "Don't you trust my abilities, Daryl?"_

_Ashley watched as Daryl's eyes softened as he replied, "Of course I do."_

" _Then you can't keep me locked up in an ivory tower," Ashley added on._

" _I know that," Daryl responded firmly._

" _So why do you insist on doing it?" Ashley prodded._

_She watched as Daryl looked at her before he began to nibble on his bottom lip. She knew this could go either way, he would tell her or if he felt like he was being backed into a corner he would snap at her._

" _Fine, ya want ta go, then go." Daryl spat abruptly before going to walk away._

_Ashley sighed. A part of her wanted to call out to him, but she kept her mouth close. She wasn't going to keep picking at whatever was eating him up about her going on runs besides the obvious danger he was concerned about because she had those same worries every time she watched him leave. Instead, she followed the frayed angel wings in front of her silently._

Now, it was her and Maggie searching the upstairs of an old Southern plantation home. Rick thought it was a suitable place to maybe make camp, but Daryl didn't feel comfortable with the openness of the general area. This wasn't the only home on the block it was one out of seven. Ashley thought it would have been a perfect place to make camp at least temporarily, but she could admit there was an eerie feeling that cloaked the place.

There weren't any walkers roaming the streets or banging against the windows. The houses were still in good condition and there was no evident sign of a struggle on the outside. It was when they entered the homes where Ashley had to hold back her gag reflex. Despite Daryl being peeved with her he did swiftly hand her a bandanna so she could cover her face from the repulsive smell of death.

It looked like a mass massacre happened in the house as if the living came through and attack. It made her immediately think of Randall's group combing their way through.

It already looked grim that they weren't probably going to find anything useful in the home.

"Even though these houses are in great condition and probably have a well or rainwater harvesting system…knowing how these people lost it…" Maggie said before trailing off.

Ashley could agree with her friend, but Ashley was also tired of the constant moving and sleeping squished on a backseat with Daryl. Never mind the fact their personal hygiene was taking a backseat to conserve the water for replenishing their malnourished and constantly starving bodies.

"Maybe the other houses aren't so bad," Ashley offered as she cleared the bathroom of anything useful. Luckily, she was able to find a bundle of toiletries and pain and fever relievers.

"God, half of our things is toilet paper," Maggie commented as Ashley found a 24 pack of toilet paper buried behind a laundry basket.

"Just imagine when it is completely diminished with things like pads or tampons. We really will be on the rag."

Maggie let out a quiet snort when they both froze as Daryl's voice broke through the mundane silence. It was angry and in a warning tone. Ashley stuffed her backpack and took out her gun as her and Maggie quietly began making their way down the stairs where Rick was now talking trying to placate everyone.

Ashley was in front of Maggie as they crept closer to the scene with their guns ready when Glenn's eyes shifted to them giving the strangers apparently enough perception there were more people than they let on.

"You said it was only you four in the house." A husky voice drawled.

Ashley momentarily froze as she recognized that voice and before her mind caught up to her body she made her presence known much to the displeasure of Daryl.

"Ryan?" She spoke as she looked at the man with two other guys with their guns drawn on Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, and Glenn by the backdoor of the kitchen no doubt leading to the outside.

"Holy shit, Ashley," Ryan exclaimed his grey eyes wide in shock and disbelief. His gun completely lowered from her site as he looked back at his men. "Put your guns down." He ordered.

"Seriously?" One asked incredulous with the order.

"Yeah, I know her and we don't harm women," Ryan said with a dangerous glint in his eyes that didn't go unnoticed by anyone especially Daryl.

Ryan turned back to Ashley and her group, "Sorry for the miscommunication. Can't be too careful these days. I think we all would feel better if you guys would lower your weapons as well."

Rick went to open his mouth, but Daryl's voice beat his. "Hell naw."

"Daryl," Ashley said with a warning.

Daryl's eyes left the form of Ryan before he eyed Ashley. He didn't like the way Ryan was exactly looking at her and obviously these two had history that he exactly wasn't all the keen on knowing.

"Daryl, please," Ashley added on.

Daryl tore his eyes off Ashley before looking back at Ryan who had a small amused smirk on his face before Daryl lowered his crossbow and Rick spoke up.

"I'm sorry like you said we can't be too careful these days. We'll just be on our way." Rick said. The men were well dressed – clean. They had military weapons and even if there was some history between this Ryan and Ashley, he still didn't trust the other men. Plus, who knew how many more of their people were out in the woods.

"No hard feelings," Ryan smoothly replied. "Hey Ashley," He called out taking a step towards her before Daryl half blocked his path looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"Watch it," Daryl growled.

Before Ryan could reply Ashley cut in before Daryl's agitation got out of hand. Her hand enclosed around his arm, "It's okay, Daryl."

"Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Ryan asked her ignoring Daryl's presence.

"Yeah, sure," Ashley agreed as she went to move but Daryl latched onto her arm.

"Hold up, ya jus' going ta talk to him. How ya even know him Ash?" Daryl inquired in a low whisper.

"We have history," Ashley supplied lowly.

Daryl didn't trust this guy. He was too clean and he wanted to punch the smile off the guys face. It wasn't helping that he was irritated Ashley was even on this run to begin with and now she wanted to talk to this guy she had history with. Daryl growled deep in his throat, "Ya got five minutes." It didn't take a genius to know this Ryan was going to try and convince her to leave with him by the way he was looking at her. Daryl didn't wait for Ashley's response. He let go of her arm and walked back away to give the two a semblance of privacy.

Ashley gave Ryan a small smile as he waved his men away and his bright smile over took his face. "It's good to see you, Ash."

Ashley nodded. "It's good to see you're alive."

Ryan looked extremely alive. Unlike her group that looked haggard and eroded from this life, Ryan was the epitome of health. Somehow his sinewy physique was replaced with muscle. His once long blonde hair seemed to be cropped underneath his black snap back. His skin still held his tan. His teeth were still pearly white accentuating his panty dropping smile with his goatee and his grey eyes still had that look that used to make her shiver in anticipation.

Looking at him, you would wonder why she would have dumped the ascetically pleasing man. On the surface he was what every girl asked for he was charming, romantic, and she thought loyal. She soon found out that during their relationship of almost a year she wasn't the only one keeping him company in between the sheets. Her cousin warned her that he had a reputation, but of course Ashley didn't listen.

"Your redneck doesn't trust me," Ryan commented.

"Don't call him that," Ashley said with a warning edge. "And wouldn't it be stupid of him not too. Just because I knew you then doesn't mean I know you now." Ashley elaborated.

"You know me, Ash."

"No I don't. All you did was blow smoke up my ass."

Ryan sighed. "Ash, I told you she didn't mean anything. I was drunk and stupid and angry. You said some nasty things to me."

Ashley rolled her eyes. The only thing she said was his mother was a crazy overbearing bitch and he needed to cut the umbilical cord. "Just because we had a mini fight your blaming me you couldn't keep it in your pants?"

Ryan groaned as he closed his eyes and rubbed his sockets, "Look I don't want to rehash ancient history. You should come back with me to my camp – town – actually. We have water, electricity, walls, and homes."

Ashley shook her head in disbelief, "Does this offer extend to my group?"

"I don't think Rick and Daryl would make such great additions." Ryan said truthfully.

"Sorry, I have to decline."

"You can't be serious, Ash. You don't even know these people."

"No, Ryan, you got it all wrong I don't know _you_. I been with these people from the start. You have no idea what I been through since the world turned to crap. Don't talk like you know me Ryan because you don't anymore. I can't believe you sometimes." Ashley sneered. "Where do you even get that right to even ask this of me anyways?"

Ryan had a smirk on his face as he tugged on the hairs on his chin, "You fucking that redneck, aren't ya?" It amazed both of them how easily they could bicker. A part of Ashley wondered if this was how their relationship always was it was only him cheating that cleared the fog.

"Are we done here?" Ashley asked ignoring his question with an raised eyebrow. She didn't receive any response. "I wish I could say it was nice seeing you, but I am happy you are alive." Ashley said as a parting. She went to walk away when she felt his hand latch on her arm causing her to whip back at him with narrowed eyes.

"Hey asshole, git yer hands off her," Daryl said in his angry growl as she heard him stomp over to where her and Ryan were standing.

Ryan let go as he looked from Daryl who now had Ashley in his hold his arm wrapped around Ashley's shoulder back to Ashley. "You sure, Ashley?"

"I'm positive. Good luck in life, Ryan."

Ryan watched as Ashley grabbed ahold of Daryl's vest to redirect him out of the room to where the rest of their group was waiting. A part of Ryan couldn't believe Ashley would slum with a redneck and he surmised it must have been for some type of protection. Ryan dug in his pocket for a cigarette.

Out of all the people he did not really ever expect to see Ashley being one to survive the apocalypse. He remembered the girl from the North moving into the area with her soft voice clean of a Southern Accent. Ryan could admit he actually loved Ashley, probably still did. He knew he was the one to sabotage the relationship slightly, but Ashley had a mouth on her. It lead to pretty intense arguments, but their last one had been incredibly nasty with their low blows. He wasn't even sure what started it. He just remembered waking up with some bottled blonde next to him naked while Ashley poured cold water on the both of them telling him it was over.

He tried to apologize, but it seemed to only make Ashley's anger worse. So he left her alone and then the world started eating itself.

"Old flame, Ryan?" Carter asked.

Ryan didn't reply as he took a drag from his cigarette as he watched Ashley remain close to that redneck.

"Seems like the redneck is getting stroked by that flame," Hale added on.

"Let's head out. This was a bust," Ryan ordered as he made his way to the back door not even sparing a second glance to Ashley.

T-Dog was watching the men leave through the window as Ryan and his posse headed into the woods where they must have hidden their vehicles.

"They are trekking in the woods."

Rick nodded his head as he looked back towards Ashley whose brows were furrowed in concentration. "Do we need to be concerned about them?"

Ashley looked up at him and shook her head, "I don't know. I don't think so. Ryan has a hot temper, but he isn't stupid or reckless."

"What he want?" Daryl asked heatedly even though he had a pretty good idea.

"I guess he has a town that has walls, water, electricity. He wanted me to go back with him, but I wasn't going to leave you guys behind besides he mentioned how you and Rick wouldn't fit in. Kind of seems telling." Ashley revealed.

"Views you two as threats," T-Dog clarified aloud.

"They must have another leader," Rick said after a pause in thought. "He wouldn't have said that if he was." If Ryan knew him and Daryl wouldn't work well in this town it was because they could see pass a façade. Not saying that Glenn and T-Dog wouldn't, but it was clear that Daryl was his right hand man while he was the leader, they had a different mindset.

"How did you know him, Ashley?" Glenn asked from his spot next to Maggie.

"He is my ex-boyfriend." Daryl released an annoyed grunt next to her.

"Let's head out. We need to find somewhere else to hopefully crash," Rick send getting back to business.

...

After the encounter with Ryan, Ashley noticed Daryl became quiet. He seemed lost in his thoughts. He gave off the vibe of wanting solitude so Ashley did exactly that especially since he and Rick were focused on trying to find somewhere else to crash.

She knew Rick and Daryl didn't trust Ryan and he knew the location to the plantation homes. His men could easily come back for whatever reason.

But Ashley wasn't too focused on that. She was focused on how seeing Ryan reminded her of the life she had before. She was hit with how easily it seemed that she could simply forget about her life before the outbreak. She would mention little tidbits with Beth and some of the others, but it was easy to almost forget the little things in a sense and the people that made up her world.

She didn't want to say that who she was before the world didn't matter.

To be honest, it just hurt especially since she didn't know the fate of her parents and little brother that made it too hard to think about her life before. It was hard to think about her cousin who turned into one of those walkers that Ashley couldn't kill, but just locked in the bathroom.

That ate up Ashley everyday that she wasn't able to put her cousin out of her misery.

But she couldn't let that guilt eat her up inside and she couldn't let seeing Ryan affect her as much as it was Daryl.

Ashley silently waited for Daryl to come back from watch as he took the first shift from their shelter for the night being a pet store.

Ashley had made a makeshift bed from various pet beds and blankets while she waited until he eventually made his way back to there "room" which was by empty fish takes and hidden by some aisles to give all of them some privacy.

Daryl looked at her surprised that she was still up, but said nothing as he set his crossbow down and sat on their bed to remove his boots.

Ashley stayed quiet until his got settled and moved under the covers wordlessly.

"Daryl," Ashley said hoping that would prompt him to begin talking.

"Did it cross yer mind to leave with 'im?" Daryl asked his voice quiet and vulnerable.

Daryl didn't know what exactly he was feeling, but it was making him sick ever since Ashley told them Ryan asked her to leave with him. He knew there was some bad blood between the two of them that his mind was going crazy with scenarios of what happened, but he was focused on the leaving part. Despite him and Ashley being them, he realized he didn't really know all that much about Ashley or who she really was before this.

He knew she liked to draw and was a hairdresser before. He knew the basic statistics about her family.

But that was it, if anything the stuff he did know was secondhand since he still wasn't exactly sure how to navigate through a relationship since he knew that would entitle him to opening up more about his past that he didn't want her to know about.

He didn't want her to know he was the typical redneck asshole that just followed his brother around. He had nothing to offer her.

Seeing Ryan, he was the typical pretty boy that would attract someone like Ashley. So what the hell was she doing with him?

"Daryl? How could you think that? No, even if me and Ryan ended amicably. I would never leave you or the group." Ashley stated as she grabbed him by the chin forcing him to look at her. "How could you even think that?"

"I don't have nothin' ta offer ya," Daryl mumbled.

"You offer me a happy ending," Ashley replied placing a kiss on his lips before scooting next to him and snuggling into his side wrapping her arms around his torso placing another kiss on his neck.

Daryl wrapped his arms around Ashley bringing her even closer to him.

Her words brought a warmth inside him. She always brought some type of warmth that made him feel like he was being infected by some type of fever.

The fever spiked with the thought of her leaving him.

He didn't know what he would do if she ever left him.

There wasn't no treatment plan to combat the fever inside him.


	4. Examination

He didn’t know if he liked her chocolate waves up or down.

Daryl, before, didn’t care or paid attention to how women cared for themselves. He never paid much attention to if they were make-up or what brand of clothing they wore. The only thing he cared about were if they were at least free from disease as he saw his brother get the clap on too many occasions.

Now, he did care about how a women cared for and presented themselves.

He hated to picture Ashley covering her face with makeup taking away from her natural beauty. He wondered if she would shop to make herself more attractive to a man when she could wear a garbage bag and Daryl would have become tongue tied in her presence without the aid of alcohol.

But, his obsession was with her hair.

She complained as a hairdresser that her hair was dried out, frizzy, and a whole lot of other bullshit that he personally disagreed on. He could admit he cringed when she would trim her hair. He vocally objected when she mentioned she was thinking of cutting it as short as Maggie’s. He remembered her wide eyes at his outburst. He felt stupid, initially, making a big deal out of it and for thinking he was overstepping a boundary in telling her what she could do with her hair, but she just smiled and tried to coax him in why he didn’t want her to cut it.

He knew his face was inflamed with red as he admitted he liked her long brown hair. That was all he managed to say before she promised to only cut the split ends, whatever the hell that meant.

He liked the way it fanned across his skin and tickled him.

He couldn’t really say her hair had a distinct smell as she used whatever shampoo and conditioner they came across. She told him she missed her old shampoo mixed with grapefruit, amber, and vanilla. He sometimes imagined what the combination would smell like in her hair.

He would imagine it to be very musky and sensual. He could admit on runs he found himself looking for something similar to that scent or even the brand she mentioned.

He found it relaxing to run his fingers through her long tresses and he smirked in satisfaction when she huddled closer to him releasing a sigh of content as his fingers messaged her head. If she was a cat she would be purring at his ministrations. It relaxed him as well. He didn’t know something as hair could be so soft. In his past, he was so used to bleached out hair or something dry and brittle that were as rough as the scruff on his chin. Maybe he did understand some of Ashley’s complaints.

He liked how her hair just weaved through his fingers as they soothed them. It amazed him how her silky hair contrasted with his calloused and scarred fingers and palms. He was sure he never even felt a fabric as soft as her hair.

He especially liked how mussed her hair become from him.

He felt egotistic knowing he was the cause of her hair looking wild after certain activities. He liked how her bangs would stick up and be out of place with her flushed cheeks. He liked it even better she never tried to hide what they did.

But he also liked when she had her hair up. Not in her signature ponytail or braids, but when she would put it in a high sloppy bun with all her hair away from her face and neck leaving it exposed to him.

Daryl didn’t realize he was fascinated with necks or collarbones especially as her tattoos emphasized the areas. Yet, Ashley’s seem to call out for him.

He couldn’t resist to bury his face in the side of her neck with his lips marking her while his beard tickled her. Daryl remembered when he discovered how much she loved his beard against her skin. He was concerned in giving her a major case of a beard burn, but she loved it. Relished in it.  A part of him was embarrassed with how it gave away what he and Ashley did when they could find privacy and the group or more so Maggie gave them knowing looks making him feel like a teenager getting caught necking.

He loved to trail his fingers across the exposed skin.  As the sun became less intense her tan wasn’t as prominent, but it was still there. He was surprise she didn’t get a major sunburn from the sun’s glare, but she had her genetics of being Caucasian and African America to thank for that. He remembered when he finally asked what she was mixed with and how flustered she became because she thought her race mattered to him. He felt like an asshole that she thought he held some of Merle’s very vocal beliefs on someone’s race, but he didn’t. Daryl, honestly, didn’t give a shit about someone’s race especially now in this world.

Yet, with the exposed skin he didn’t know how she kept it so soft considering things like lotion weren’t exactly top priorities when finding stuff on runs.

He also loved her tattoos and piercings. He would always tease her that a walker could rip her nose ring off, which she didn’t find very amusing. He also liked the piercing he only had knowledge of and she would always scold him if he tugged on the bars too hard, but his woman couldn’t fool him that she liked it a little rough.

If she didn’t wear tanks he wouldn’t have thought someone like her would have tattoos. He didn’t know if he had a favorite as he spent time tracing every outline and shade of her artwork like she would do to his own decorating his skin. Her tattoos were masterpieces compared to his.

He loved that she was the one to design all her artwork. His girl was a very good artist he could see clearly from her tattoos, but he had yet to see her work in her sketch book. She, of course, shown him simple drawings of maybe a burning fire or the silent trees that she claimed weren’t perfect and could be used as firewood, but he made her keep them. He really liked the ones that showed the profiles of the group. Rick’s hand on his Python. Carol’s hand stirring some food. Lori’s pregnant belly. She even had a detailed picture of his crossbow that he kept secure in his chest pocket. He hoped he never lost it. He suspected there were some of him in there. There were times he itched to peek into the worn and dirty sketch book when it was left unattended, but he could cross her privacy in that way.

He honestly didn’t understand why she was so shy about showing him how she viewed him and he even joked she had a stash of nude drawings in that book that only made her turn beat red, but she promised to show him eventually.

_Daryl was sitting against a tree with Ashley across from him as she was furiously moving her pencil across the page in front of her. It was mid-afternoon and everyone was in a relaxed mood after finding a box full of canned corn in a abandoned car in the middle of the road. Despite having to make another night of sleeping cramped in one of the vehicles they could overlook it for the fact they had some substance to fill their constantly hungry bellies._

_Luckily, snow hadn’t hit the ground yet. Lori’s makeshift calendar gave her an estimate of mid-November so Daryl was surrounded by autumns leaves that reminded him of the Ashley’s eyes that were deep in concentration of her drawing._

_Daryl thought he could spend the rest of his days like this twirling an bolt in his hand while watching Ashley draw. The world silent to her. It almost worried him though how out of the zone she was in her drawing, but that was what he was there for._

_But he liked watching her. He didn’t know if she could feel his eyes roaming her body as she drew, but he frankly didn’t give a shit._

_Her hair today was up in two sloppy buns reminiscent of Leia from Star Wars – very sloppy rendition – with a winter headband to cover her ears from the cold. Her cheeks were slightly pink from the chill, but it seemed not to bother her._

_She had taken her black gloves off that she stashed in her pocket to draw. She was wearing a black canvas jacket with a maroon zip-up hoodie underneath and black jeans and brown boots that swallowed her calves. He actually missed seeing her in shorts. It sucked that with their hasty escape from Hershel’s farm they lost most of their belongings including one of Ashley’s bags containing most of her shorts. Yet, Ashley informed him that shorts were removed from her closet as she had hairy legs that she even wouldn’t let him see. He thought it was stupid that Ashley was being self-conscious about having hair on her legs. He told her point blank that he frankly didn’t give a shit if she had hair on her legs or anywhere else. Plus, her being all self conscious was cutting into some alone time they could of have had instead of just making out like teenagers in the woods. So he made sure when they were on runs he found her a real man’s single blade razor where they could easily remove the blade and sharpen it themselves. The kicker about it was when he snuck and watched her shave her legs weren’t even that hairy. Women and their vanity._

_He watched as her brows furrowed deep when she would make an mistake and erase it. She would bite her bottom lip when she scrutinize the mark she just made. But when she was just drawing and there was no mark she was analyzing, her face was relaxed. She was simply at peace._

_He could fantasize about her just sitting on the edge of steps or on the rail of a porch just drawing with the wind blowing through her hair. He could envision going home to a scene like that._

_Daryl brought his knees up as he gnawed on his lips at those thoughts. He didn’t have much of a home before this life as he was drifting with Merle. He hadn’t disclosed any of that with Ashley yet. He just mentioned he did a lot of things and she simply labeled him as the jack of all trades which was true to a point, but she didn’t know the fine print of it all._

_He wasn’t purposely withholding things about himself. He just didn’t want her to view him any differently especially with how he still was feeling since their encounter with Ryan. Ashley and him hadn’t talked about it since that night in the pet store. Daryl didn’t see a need in discussing her past with someone because he just didn’t want to think about Ashley with anyone else._

_Daryl really beforehand didn’t care about those things about a girl’s number or whatever. A lay was a lay, but Ashley – she was his woman. He didn’t like the thought of Ryan knowing her the way he does. He found the need to ask her what she saw in Ryan and why they broke up. He wasn’t sure if it mattered now, but he was driving himself crazy with his unanswered questions he was asking himself._

_He knew he should just ask Ashley as she told him he could ask her anything he may want to know, but in return, he knew she was going to ask him questions. He still hadn’t disclosed the origin to the state of his back. He saw hurt in her eyes as after they were able to have some privacy where he could remove his shirt he would quickly cover himself up when it was over. He knew he was intentionally shutting her out by covering himself up. It wasn’t because he didn’t trust her with his story. He just couldn’t find himself to release his childhood onto her. He didn’t want it to change how she viewed him even if she already knew about the scars._

_He didn’t want to unleash his horrors. He wanted to forget about them._

_He wanted Ashley to just know the man now, not who he was back then or what caused him to be that way._

_Daryl’s focus turned back to Ashley as he heard the shuffling of paper and legs and a distinct crack._

_“Wha’chu draw today?” Daryl asked her._

_Ashley gave him that smile before she replied, “Something extraordinary.” She said dreamily fluttering her eyelashes which caused him to snort. “I’m being serious.”_

_“So what is tha extraordinary thing.” Daryl drawled._

_“I don’t think your ready to see it yet.”_

_Now Daryl was curious as he narrowed his eyes in thought before her quick laughter broke his pondering as she crawled up to him on her knees her eyes twinkling like her hoop on her nose catching the sun’s rays. “When you actually believe what I see…then I will show you my drawings. But, I can give you a little preview.”_

_Daryl raised his eyebrows as this woman always left him intrigued. Ashley chuckled a little before her plump soft lips brought him into a sweet kiss before she broke it and gave him another quick one before getting up leaving him to stare at her retreating form as she placed her pad back into her bag and went over next to Carl by the fire._

Daryl still needed to come to terms with that the attraction wasn’t one-sided.

Daryl knew he was inflamed in red as she openly groped his arms while she sat on his lap declaring everything she admired about him.

_“Woman, what are ya doing?” Daryl grumbled as he was laying down. His head was resting on his hands that were placed behind him. They were squatting in a church and he wasn’t on duty for watch and he had already went on a rather successful watch hunt. Plus, despite him being comfortable with the group he still needed time for himself. He needed a breather and seclusion from everyone. Yet, he must have had been secluding himself too much for Ashley’s liking as she just sneaked up on him and plopped herself onto his lap with a sly smile teasing on her lips._

_“I missed you.”_

_“Stop,” Daryl said and he felt the rising heat to his cheeks as he looked away from her eyes._

_“What you don’t believe me?” Ashley asked and he felt her hands trail across his chest and unto the exposed skin of his neck._

_“I’ve been right here. How could ya miss me?” Daryl countered and he closed his eyes as her hands traveled into his hair and started massaging his scalp. He loved when Ashley would massage his scalp. It wasn’t even sexual. The action was just comforting and he could vaguely remember his mom doing the same action when he was younger before she was consumed by the darkness that plagued his family._

_“Well, I know you needed some alone time, I understand that, but I just missed having you near me. But if you need your space still, I can go.” Ashley said after he didn’t immediately reply as he was lost in the sensation of her fingers in his hair causing him to pop his eyes open and looked at her curiously with a frown._

_“No,” Daryl said immediately. “Stay.” Ashley gave him a smile and her fingers went from his hair to under his shirt causing his muscle to twitch and Ashley to release a giggle. “Did ya miss me or ma body?” Daryl grumbled as her hands travelled further up his shirt._

_“Hmmm, maybe a little of both.”_

_Daryl raised his eyebrow as he asked teasingly, “So tell me what exactly did ya miss?”_

_Ashley looked at him with a smile before she removed her hands from his shirt and pointed a finger at him than directed it back at her as she spoke, “Are you asking me what I like about you Mr. Daryl Dixon?”_

_Daryl shrugged his shoulders as the question had been plaguing his mind since they became what they were._

_“Okay, we’re going to start with the most obvious,” Ashley informed him while her hands squeezed his biceps while he rolled his eyes. “I think we all know your big guns were the first thing that caught my young impressionable eyes. I mean they’re big, tan, and they showcase that you are a man. They show you are strong internally and externally, but what I drool over is how I feel in them. I love the way they feel wrapped around me when we’re cuddling despite how much you deny it.”_

_Ashley’s hands travelled from his biceps up his arms where she removed his hands from behind his head._

_“Your hands reinforce that you are a working man and of course a hunter. Your hands show that they are capable of many things. I, of course, love how they feel against my skin.” She informed him as she slyly had them brush against her breasts._

_“You’re a little minx, ya know that.”_

_“Yeah, but I am your minx,” Ashley said before kissing his palm smiling. “I love how they hold my body – how you trace my tattoos – skin. I love how I feel safe – how they show me I am safe with you.” Ashley told him seriously causing a knot to form in his stomach and throat._

_Daryl didn’t know how to handle the words she was saying because he knew they were true. He never had someone blatantly appreciate and admire him._

_“I like how you carry yourself. I mean, you can pull of mud really well Daryl.”_

_“Now ya just teasing.” Daryl countered as he squeezed her thighs causing her to squirm on his lap._

_“No, I’m not. I’m being serious. I would never lie to you, Daryl.”_

_Daryl’s eyes clashed with hers, “Ya promise.”_

_Ashley nodded her head, “I promise.”_

_Daryl nodded his head at her before he smirked as he took control of the situation flipping them so he was hovering over her causing her to squeal in surprise. “So tell me, what else ya like?” Daryl said lowly._

_“Now, I think I am stroking your ego,” Ashley said lightly as she opened her legs making room for him in-between her thighs._

_“Ya could be stroking something else.”_

_Ashley looked at him flabbergasted, “Did you just making a funny?”_

_Daryl shrugged his shoulders as she could take the statement either way._

_Ashley released a laugh before she turned serious and her hand found his face and she traced the hair on his chin by now he was used to Ashley’s touch he didn’t flinch most times which he knew she noticed._

_“Well, I like your beard, but I think you know that. The beard and mud and your I don’t give a fuck attitude is a serious turn on. I also love with you undo your zipper-“_

_Undoing his zipper? What the hell? “Ya serious, woman?” Daryl asked shocked as he honestly didn’t really know she got turned on by the sound of him zipping or unzipping his jeans. His woman was weird and clearly a freak._

_“Yeah, don’t make fun of me Daryl. I don’t know it just turns me on,” Ashely said as her cheeks became coated in pink and she covered her face with her hands._

_Daryl with one hand tugged at her own. “Don’t hide yer face. I ain’t making fun of ya.”_

_Ashley peeked through her fingers to look at him before she removed them completely and they went up to his flannel and began playing with the buttons and she slipped one hand into his shirt over his chest – his heart._

_“There are a hundred other things I could list, but I love this the most. It’s strong, beautiful, loyal, and courageous and somehow you made room for me in there.” Ashley told him in a mere whisper._

_Daryl didn’t verbally reply, but brought her into a bruising kiss hopefully to tell her something that words couldn’t say._

Not every conversation was deep or practically meaningful. He learned real soon that Ashley had this deadpan humor kind of like his own, but she was more funnier. Yet, what he found funny wasn’t exactly the same thing she found funny like things she was afraid of.

You would think in a world full of the dead walking around trying to eat you things like phobias would become non-existent, but not for Ashley. He experienced first hand Ashley’s reaction of encountering something she was extremely terrified of.

She was terrified of mice.

Maybe it was wrong for Daryl to underestimate the fear that was imbedded deep inside Ashley over mice. She did warn him that out of everything in the world encountering mice would be her greatest downfall if they needed to hide and be quiet. She would scream and probably cry alerting the whole world of her agony. Still despite her exaggeration of what it would be like to encounter a small critter that was practically harmless and Daryl could admit if need be would be a home cooked meal considering the circumstances. He was not at all prepared for her reaction.

_“I don’t like this,” Ashley stated to Daryl as she did another scan of their room highlighting the various holes in the ceiling from mice chewing through._

_Daryl who was bordering the window more commented offhandedly, “Mice are nocturnal, Ash.”_

_“Oh, like that eases anything. I will just wake up with a litter of mice nibbling on my skin.” Ashley drawled._

_“If there were mice here they would have scattered.” Daryl countered._

_“How can they hear anything if they’re sleeping Daryl. Can’t we stay somewhere where they aren’t chewing through the plaster to make nest for their babies.” Ashley whined._

_Daryl looked at Ashley who had yet moved from the doorway of their temporary room. Since she saw the mice droppings she had been on edge. Daryl wondered what she would do if she saw a rat or a possum._

_Daryl sighed, “Ash, there ain’t any mice. They probably moved on since there ain’t any food.”_

_“I think I would prefer to just sleep in the truck.”_

_“Ash, you ain’t sleeping the truck. Now git in here so we can go to bed we been on the road fer days. ‘M tired.” Daryl said exhausted as he plopped down on the bed. He just wanted to lay down on the bed with his woman in his arms before his shift on watch._

_Daryl had to bite back the laugh as Ashley charged into the room and immediately jumped on the bed, or he should say him as she landed directly in his lap. He tried to ignore how little and lite she was becoming._

_“Ash, ya can’t be serious,” he grumbled as she was sitting Indian style on top of his abdomen._

_“Now you’re complaining I’m in your lap.”_

_“How ya plan on sleeping?” Daryl questioned._

_“On top of you, obviously.” Ashley informed him as she zipped her jacket all the way up and put on the hood as if it was a full body suit._

_Daryl nibbled on his lower lip, but in the end decided to just stay quiet and let Ashley be paranoid. He closed his eyes ending the conversation. He felt Ashley shuffling a top of him and when he heard her zipping a bag open he opened one eye lid to found her grabbing a blanket and covering both of them as she laid down on top of him._

_Daryl was a light sleeper. It was a condition he developed from his childhood and now was a vital component to his survival. But he wasn’t even sleeping for twenty minutes – the moon hadn’t been visible for even five – when he felt Ashley shifting in front of him with the flashlight on._

_Daryl huffed, “Ash.”_

_“Do you hear that?” She whispered._

_With his eyes still closed he responded, “Hear what?”_

_“Something was scraping against the walls.”_

_“Probably walkers since ya flashing the damn light,” he grumbled._

_“I can’t help it I’m fucking scared, Daryl,” Ashley hissed and he wasn’t prepared for the sharp pinch to his side causing his eyes to popped open._

_“Woman, what tha hell?!” He exclaimed as he brought her over onto her side forcing her to lay on the bed causing to squeal and squirm._

_“No Daryl –“_

_“Ash, there ain’t no mice that is going to crawl ova ya. I got ya okay,” he exclaimed while he tucked her into his arms her front to his front. He expected her to fight him and continue squirming, but all he was rewarded with was an huff of annoyance._

_Daryl couldn’t remember the last time he had such a vivid dream. It almost felt real as Ashley’s hands were roaming all over his body and she had that teasing smile gracing her lips. When she opened her mouth he didn’t expect the scream that was released from it._

_Daryl’s eyes popped open when he realized the scream wasn’t from the dream and Ashley wasn’t laying in bed with him._

_Daryl jumped out of bed grabbing his crossbow and as he reached the hallway he almost collided with Rick as they ran closer to the sound of scream._

_The worst case scenario was that a walker was attacking her and he didn’t know what he would do if that was the case. Ashley couldn’t get bit. The only time he ever thought of that scenario was back at the quarry when they were attacked. It was then he made a promise to himself that as long as he was around nothing would ever happen to her._

_So now hearing her horrified screams his heart was racing to the point it would be like a cartoon and protrude from his chest._

_They reached the bathroom door where Ashley was still releasing muffled screams when he beat Rick and busted open the door expecting to find Ashley bloody with a walker chewing on her when only on reflex he shot a white mouse while two other scurried away from him and passed Rick._

_Ashley looked pale as a ghost as she was perched on the countertop with the sink._

_Daryl didn’t know whether to be mad or relieve as his mind caught up with the situation._

_He wasn’t prepared for Ashley’s weight to toppled him as she wrapped her legs around his torso causing his crossbow to drop to the ground and him to take a few steps back to settle the weight._

_His eyes found Rick who gave him a sympathetic and relieved smile before walking away to probably tell the group it was a false alarm._

_Daryl released a sigh as he picked up his crossbow the best he could with Ashley’s tight grip on him while he took them back to their room._

_“They crawled on my feet Daryl,” Ashley muttered against his neck._

_Daryl knew to take her fear of mice seriously._

Besides mice that seemed to be Ashley’s only genuine fear that remained since the end of days. There was one more that was unspoken, but he knew every time he left for a run or just when thoughts drifted beyond their world between him and her that she feared losing him. Unlike her fear of mice, Daryl still didn’t know how to accept that one.

Besides learning about her fears, he discovered some of her favorite things that were still tangible. Her favorite color was gray or silver. She liked how it reminded her of the moon. Plus it was an easy color for her to manipulate when she draws. She didn’t have a reason beyond that besides it was simple and hidden between white and black.

Her favorite drink was cranberry juice that had to be mixed with apple juice.

Her favorite month was July and her favorite season was summer yet moving down South had started to make her reconsider it to autumn.

Her favorite time of the day that he made sure he was back for was she loved sitting next to him with his arm wrapped around her shoulder as they watched the sunset. It was their thing that they had. He knew to her it signified they made it another day in this chaotic world.

They still had each other.

Besides her favorite things that he discovered, there were things that were inheritably hers.

As her deadpan humor, he sometimes thought she didn’t even realize how she sounded and mostly came out when she was talking to Glenn. That boy always fell to Ashley’s dry sarcastic humor that left him questioning the soil he was stepping on.

He loved that he could read every emotion that filtered across her face from when she was annoyed, tired, happy, and sated.

Additionally, much to his indignation, she couldn’t sleep with socks on and one it wasn’t ideal considering if they needed to make a quick escape, but he always found her cold feet prodding his skin for warmth while he slept.

She also wouldn’t even think to kiss him with morning breath. She absolutely refused to which at first it stung a little until she explained it was one of her irks. She knew it was irrational considering toothpaste would soon be wiped out, but her ex used to do it, and his thoughts briefly envisioned Ryan which made his mouth sour. But he could admit some days he wanted to just wake up kissing her and pausing to brush his teeth sort of killed the mood so he made sure to horde all the breath mints he could find.

Another quirk that he surmised came with her being his woman was the pampering.  Sometimes he acted annoyed to keep some face with the group to show he wasn’t totally a whipped puppy, but he loved how Ashley sort of tended to his every need.

She made sure his clothes were clean and sewed. His stomach was filled as much as it could be. She made sure his weapons were clean and stocked. She definitely made sure he was satisfied in bed. It scared him how much he was getting used to it and how foreign it felt that she wanted to do it. He felt horrible because he didn’t know how to properly receive it. It was awkward in the beginning and he didn’t know how to repay her essentially. He had nothing to offer her, but his promise of keeping her safe. As in reality, she could have had any man in the group to keep her company in bed.

But he needed to learn that their relationship wasn’t on a reward system. She did it because she cared for him in ways he couldn’t comprehend.

She did it for the same reason he did for her.

His detailed observations of his study only had one conclusion that was a small, but profound, four letter word.


	5. Diagnosis

It had officially hit winter and the group was lucky enough to find a storage unit to seek refuge in. It seemed the group found it at the right time as the following day the area was hit with a massive snow storm trapping them inside the building as they didn't exactly have snow blowers and shovels to plow their way out.

Despite having a warm place to sleep and the privacy of their own room, Daryl didn't like the confinement the winter season brought. It didn't take long to deduce that Daryl was very much an outside person. Being in the woods was his security blanket. The woods was the place where he was confident the most at. Additionally, Ashley could tell he felt like he wasn't pulling his weight by being able to supply them with sufficient meat as they were experiencing a lean winter.

She saw the irritation spike through him after every hunt he insistent going on alone when he came back with maybe a few small birds or sometimes nothing at all. At first, she didn't understand why he was irritable after the hunt even towards her when she would try to talk to him. When she realized the deeper meaning that was ebbed into his mission to find food she tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault there wasn't food out there, but she only made him angrier and caused him to lash out at her.

She tried to not take it personally as his thick Southern accent swung words at her that she didn't understand or what the hell did she know about anything, or better yet he wasn't no damn baby so she could stop smothering him.

Ashley would like to say she had thick skin especially now in this world, but she couldn't help the ball that got caught in her throat at being on the receiving end of Daryl's frustration.

Immediately afterwards when the words were digested and she stood there silent unsure if she should continue being a punching bag or walk away was when the sky blue iris were cleared of their smoky fog did they realized what storm he brought down. Ashley, however, had already began walking away ignoring him as he apologized and tried to grab her to stay put, but she didn't want stay.

She just kept on walking.

Ashley didn't know whether to categorize it as a disagreement or fight since they were officially together this would be technically their first one. It wasn't even a serious disagreement, but Daryl needed to realize he couldn't talk to her like that. He couldn't lash out and expect her to just take it in stride.

It amazed her that close to seven months of being with him that he still had trouble with just communicating with her.

After all this time sometimes she felt she didn't know any thing about him. Everything she had to just watch and observe. She had to work through a code to crack that he constantly would change. Sometimes she felt as if she had to travel through an labyrinth to get a glimpse of what made Daryl who he was when he knew everything about her it seemed. She would like to think it was mostly because he had a keen sense of observation, but she actually communicated with him. Yet, if she turned the questions he would ask he would clam up and insist on changing the conversation.

She respected his requests because she knew what they had was something he never probably experienced before. She had already took note how touch seemed to be associated with brutality for him when he would flinch from sudden movement made towards him.

In his azure irises they gleamed with irresolution that she was still by his side every day they woke up. His eyes looked so vulnerable as he would take her in as his rough hands glided on her smooth skin like sand paper as he tried to rubbed out the roughness of doubt that pricked him onto it was the even silky surface that reflected the truth he wanted to firmly cling to.

She didn't know how to feel that he expected her to like have some sort of epiphany and she would decide to leave him or he wasn't good enough.

It was upsetting that he believed that about himself that he was just a redneck that wasn't good for anything.

It upset her even more because she didn't know why he was so self-conscious from his own mouth.

She knew most of his behavior stemmed from the marks that littered his back. Despite them being intimate with each other, he still made sure she never saw them. She didn't think she ever looked at them since the farm. His back would still go still and tension would build when she took the courage to just run her hands along his body. She was aware she was tracing his childhood.

A childhood he never wanted to talk about. She could say she knew nothing but Daryl's adolescent years. The only thing she knew about Daryl was he was a hunter and he drifted with Merle before this. Everything else was from her own speculation that would probably never be confirmed.

Really thinking about it some of the stuff she knew about Daryl was from Merle's mouth.

Merle was the one to emphasize that Daryl was quiet, or the sweet one. He would boast about Daryl's hunting skills with pride, but Merle made sure to make it clear Daryl learned the tricks of the trade from him.

She learned early one that it was always Merle and Daryl. There wasn't ever a mention of a mother and Merle let it slip that their father was a nasty son of a bitch who loved his drink more than his own sons.

Merle was another thing that seemed forbidden. Since Merle went missing, as she would put it, Daryl never once discussed it. Ashley hadn't even heard Daryl utter his brother's name. She didn't know how Daryl even felt about it now as the days went by.

Daryl kept a lot of things bottled up and Ashley was now realizing she didn't like it. She was bothered by it because it felt like he didn't trust her enough to really tell her things that made him the man that held her whole being in his hands.

These thoughts made it easy to just avoid him in a sense. It was making it easy for her to take a step back and really look at where they were going. She knew times weren't like before and really considering their lives were on the chopping block everyday was not knowing about his past that important to drive a wedge into their relationship, for her it was.

She wanted what she had with him to last. She knew she was going to be spending everyday with this man to their last breaths. She planned on surviving this world with him. She wanted to build something with him. When Rick finally found the safe haven he was pining after for all them, Ashley could admit she wanted to have a future with Daryl that would be secure enough for a family. Maybe it was ridiculous as her and Daryl already touched upon that having kids now would be too dangerous, but she wanted it deep down inside.

She wanted to spend her whole life with this man meant she needed to know him inside and out. She needed to know the man before this that made him into the man that he was now.

However, she knew by avoiding him wasn't the solution. Actually her going out of her way to create some distance and space was probably only going to make things worse to him.

Ashley gave a thanks to Carol as she handed her two mugs of hot chocolate. On a recent run Glenn and T-Dog found a stash of hot chocolate packets and the group decided it was due for some type of indulgence to their steady diet of canned beans and mushrooms with warm water. One mug was for her, but the other was for Daryl who was currently on watch on the roof of the storage shed in the open out in the cold.

Ashley walked up the creaky metal steps that lead to the open space where they made a watch point for the storage unit.

Ashley was surprised at how cold it could get in the winter down South. Growing up in the North she was used to severe winter storms than again they were able to combat the severe cold with modern technology like snow plows and working heat.

The winter weather made Ashley wonder what would happen when everything ran out and how would they and whoever else was out there would make substitutes.

With how technology advancements were, factories and trade jobs were a thing of the past. It seemed stuff like how to make electricity and various other things were reserved for the elites who could afford college. Now the elites were probably walkers who never stood a chance to survive this brutal world. The books that held the manuals to maintaining the world they were accustomed too were now lost to fires providing warmth that gasoline used too.

The world was going to essentially have to rebuild itself. They would probably have to go back to using oil for lamps and go back to riding horses and buggies or rebuild Ford's T-Model car. Bullets would go back to muskets, of course this was all hypothetical, but the last Ashley could recall no one knew how to cast bullets in their group and she wasn't exactly aware of how they could find the materials to do it.

She honestly would prefer if they became masters in using a crossbow as it was more quiet and just save the machinery like guns for the humans that used this world to forget their humanity since there was no laws or policemen to keep them in line. Luckily, the group hadn't encountered a group of hostile people since they became aware of them.

Ashley reached the top of the steps where the door was an leaned against it's push handle as she opened it and the cold winter slapped her body. Ashley looked out onto the roof where there was two chairs set up but they were vacant.

"What are ya doing up here?"

Ashley turned to her right to find Daryl in his poncho walking towards her.

Ashley didn't say anything, but held up one of the mugs.

"What is it?" Daryl asked as he crept closer. His steps were unsure as their disagreement that was unresolved lingered in the cold air freezing it above them.

"Hot chocolate." Ashley informed him as he accepted the warm mug. Ashley couldn't help the smile that overtook her face as Daryl looked at the mug skeptical. "It's not gourmet or made with milk, but I can assure you it's pretty decent."

Daryl's eyes flew to hers. The cold and dark disguised the blush that was heating his cheeks as he spoke, "I-I never had it before." He admitted sheepishly.

"Well there's a first for everything." Ashley replied softly as he brought the cup to his lips and took a small sip.

Ashley waited for his reaction and laughed softly as he took a loud slurp of cold air, "Shit that's hot."

"Well something has to keep you warm other than that poncho and your leather."

Daryl nodded his head as he blew on the hot liquid as his gaze flicked towards Ashley who was looking out into the darkness that cloaked them before she looked back at him, "You want some company."

Daryl nodded his head to the chairs and Ashley walked in front him as he followed her to the chairs. Personally, Daryl would have preferred Ashley was back inside as it was a bit colder than usual out and he didn't want her risk getting any type of cold. Yet, Daryl missed her, which was weird for him as it wasn't like she was gone, but their relationship had taken this weird turn he didn't know how to navigate through.

She wasn't completely ignoring him as she would make sure he ate and she slept next to his side, but she wasn't tangled to him like a vine. She didn't make conversation about anything. There was this silence that was choking both of them and he knew she wasn't going to be the one to break it. He had to be the balm to fix what he knew he caused. It wasn't as if it was a big argument that happened between them. He knew it was wrong of him to snap at her when she was clearly trying to help and he knew his woman didn't take kindly to any man raising their voice at her for any reason. The main issue was that he didn't talk to her. He knew Ashley wanted to know more about him and his past, but he just didn't want to tell her how he was nothing back then but an redneck asshole.

He didn't want to tell her about his alcoholic mother and abusive dad.

He didn't want to delve into the stories behind the scars that only she ever had the privilege to trace. He thought that was enough, but he knew it wasn't.

Daryl took a sip of the hot chocolate Ashley brought him and reveled in the warmth that surged in his being from the drink. He had to admit it was pretty good as it came from powder. As a child, he didn't have the luxury of something simple as hot chocolate. The only drinks he had were water and plain milk. Merle was the one to spend his money to get him some soda or Kool-Aid, but it was rare as his brother was too busy getting locked up.

"When I was little," Ashley began breaking his thoughts, "we would go to Erie, which is 2 hours away from Pittsburgh, to visit my Uncle in the winter where they would get more snow since they lived on the lakefront. When I was young I was still vertically challenged and my dad took advantage of it as when we would play in the snow he would push me down and kick snow in my face." Ashley told him with a fond smile. "I know it seems kind of mean, but it was how we played in the snow, but I usually got him back by grabbing some snow and putting it down his back."

Daryl frowned as Ashley never really talked in depth about her parents and her younger sibling. She avoided thinking about the possibility they didn't make it. According to her, Pittsburgh was a big city and she suspected just like they did to Atlanta they probably napalmed it and she admitted she hoped her family perished that way as she couldn't bear the thought of them suffering as a walker especially her little brother.

He remembered it clearly as she thought she was a monster because she had those thoughts.

_A somber mood had overtaken the group in the storage unit. It all started after Glenn made a comment about Dale and the mention of his name spiraled into all of them thinking about the people they lost since the quarry and even before it._

_Daryl wasn't used to seeing this side of Ashley where she was quiet and distant despite her being wrapped in his arms with her head lying on his chest listening to his heartbeat as his hands ran through her hair._

_She had been quiet since they laid down to go to bed._

" _I don't know if it hurts knowing or not knowing," she said against his chest causing him to pause his movement. "My family were survivalist, sure we know how to camp, but they-" Ashley's voice faltered as her voice became thick with unshed tears._

" _Hey," Daryl said cupping her face in his hands as his thumb caressed her cheek, "Ya don't need ta go there."_

" _Pittsburgh's a big city, it probably got the same treatment as Atlanta," Ashley said ignoring his words as she needed to get what she had been thinking off her chest. "I hope they went peacefully and aren't suffering through this. God, I am cruel for thinking that." Ashley said horrified._

" _No," Daryl said immediately. "There ain't nothing wrong wit wanting them not ta suffer."_

_Ashley leaned up and looked him straight in the eyes, "If it weren't for you Daryl," she began to say but the tears she tried to hold back started a hurricane in her body as tears began to fall and he cradled her head to his chest. He felt his flannel become wet from her distress and a tightness formed inside him from her crying. He didn't know exactly what to do as he just rubbed her back as her crying turned to hard hiccups._

_He felt invalid as he necessarily didn't know how to exactly comfort her either as he didn't know what to say to her. He saw his dad and uncle go from this world and Merle was just gone. Ashley had no idea except to assume the worst case scenario._

_He didn't know how long it was until her shaking finally stopped and the hiccups became painful sighs when she spoke again, "I can admit my parents especially my mom would have been skeptical at first, but once they would have seen how happy you make me. They would have loved you and my little brother would have also. Despite his autism, he was a social butterfly and he would have made you name all the animals you ever hunted." Ashley lifted her head up as she gave him a shaky smile and he saw she was struggling to tell him something so instead she settled for a kiss and he could taste the saltiness of the tears. He could feel the warmth of her flushed face as her lips were frantic against his as she her hands trembled as they clutched his shirt._

Daryl focused on the snowflakes that were forming a mountain of snow on the ledge of the roof, "Ya know when I was little, had to be when I was 11, my dad came home from another bender and was bitchin' bout everythang. So Merle crushed up some sleeping pills and put them in my dad's drink. We thought we kill 'im because he slept for like 18 hours." Daryl blurted out and it caused Ashley to look at him curiously.

"Did he ever find out?"

"Nah," Daryl said. "He thought he just drank to much moonshine." Daryl stilled remembered as his dad stood on wobbly legs as he moved from the recliner that was marked with cigarette burns and questionable body fluids to the kitchen. Him and Merle were sitting at their makeshift kitchen table eating cereal with water as they didn't have milk and they waited for their dad to start yelling about something or go on another tirade blaming Merle for their mother's death which included a few slaps in the head to the eldest son. Yet, his father only let out an amused cackle as he eyed his son's saying he hit a goldmine on his current still as he just grabbed another jar of his homemade moonshine and sat right back down on the couch.

"You know you can talk about them." Ashley gently said hoping to give him an in to talk about his past that she desperately wanted to know about.

Daryl leaned back into the folding camping chair.

He knew he had to give her something that she hadn't heard from Merle or revolved around him. Daryl honestly didn't know where to even begin with his family. Sometimes he felt his mom never existed. He could barely remember her face or her voice. The only sense of touch he could connect to her were the way she used to run her hands through his hair like Ashley did, but they were faint and faded. The only thing he could ever associate with her were the smell of the Virginia Slims that killed her. His mom was always in a fugue state because of the alcohol. A part of Daryl knew he could never really complain about his mother in a sense as Merle knew her before she replaced her blood cells with ethanol. Merle knew both of their parents better than him.

Yet, Merle revealed to him that their father was always nasty. Something wasn't right in their daddy's head and it wasn't like mental illness was a thing for men after the war and even now in his neck of the woods it was taboo.

However, after their mother died something snapped in their father. Verbal abuse was only the prelude to the physical abuse that came down on him and Merle until they both were able to fight back and overpower their frail father.

Despite the abuse, unlike Merle, Daryl still had some relationship with his father. On the odd chance of alcohol making his father become placate, his father would begin a monologue about how Daryl reminded him so much of his mother. The only thing Daryl had of him were the Dixon blue eyes but even his personality was his mother. His father would make slurred apologizes how he just wasn't right in the head and he couldn't deal with the loss of his wife where there wasn't even a picture of her as it was all ashes.

His father would than go on about how he should never make the same sins as him. His father knew he failed Merle, but he held out for something for him. Daryl listened to his father and the words had merit, but he took his dad's words for a grain of salt as his father's apologies and failures were engraved into his back.

It amazed Daryl at how something so small as a belt buckle could cause so much damage to his skin and his mind. Daryl believed he would never be comfortable with the state of his body. He didn't care that Ashley could freely run her hands over them or on the chance of him ever having his shirt off where she would plant kisses over them, he would never be okay of them as she seemed to be.

He didn't understand how she didn't see them as ugly or disgusting.

He was still just trying to understand what Ashley saw in him.

Daryl took a long sip of the hot chocolate before he spoke. "My dad's name was Will and my ma's was Annabeth. Both of my parents liked ta drink a little too much so Merle usually made sure I was okay. He practically raised me. When I was 9, my ma died. She was probably passed out from drinking with a cigarette in her hand when our house burnt down with her in it and ya can see how my dad dealt wit it."

Daryl couldn't look Ashley in the eyes as he gave her some details to his past. He didn't want to see the pity in her eyes. He knew she wasn't going to push him for more gritty details as it was vague details, but the vagueness still said a lot about why he was the way he was.

Daryl, however, was unprepared for Ashley's sudden weight in his lap as she made him look at her and he wasn't prepared for that smile he first noticed about her – something he loved about her – to be on her face.

Her hands went into his brown growing hair and messaged his scalp. She leaned forward and planted a soft gentle kiss on his chapped lips the warmth from the beverage they were drinking began spreading through his whole body.

This kiss was different from all their previous kisses. This kiss was replacing the sorry he didn't want to hear because it would be weightless even coming from her. The kiss was showing his past didn't change how she felt about him. If anything, it made her affection for him grow knowing he persevered through his callous upbringing and made him to the man that she was with today.

Daryl was being mindful of the scalding liquid that was between them when he almost dropped the mug at the words that were uttered against his lips and were frozen by the frigid air around them.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl's body froze as the words crystalized his being. A part of him wanted to dispute it. A part of him didn't want to believe it. But even in the darkness with tiny snowflakes catching in her eyelashes he knew she was speaking the truth.

His body felt on fire and his heart began beating erratically and he was sure she could hear it and feel it vibrate his whole body.

He remembered the onset this type of warmth and state of his body all the way back when they were at the quarry.

"Say it again." He demanded lightly and the smile on her face only brightened as her eyes sparkled with warmth and lust towards him.

"I love you." She repeated as they were the gospel truth as her hands went back to massaging his scalp as she continued. "I love the way you make me feel. I love how you care for me and protect me. I love how loyal you are. I love the way you carry yourself. **You're** the only man I will ever love. I love you, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl brought her back to his warm lips hoping to tell her what his numb tongue couldn't. His hand still in her hair as he pulled back a little, he opened his eyes to find hers glazed with adoration and want, "Ya feel like that cause ya are." Daryl replied lowly and he was rewarded with that smile that was reserved only for him as she brought him into a deep kiss.

"Come on," Ashley urged as she stood up, "Maggie and Glenn owe us anyways."

Daryl nodded his head and muttered a quick be right back before Maggie and Glenn emerged from the storage unit with knowing smiled.

It didn't take long before Ashley and Daryl reached their unit. Ashley giggled at Daryl's eagerness as he quickly worked off his heavy layers before he raised his hand, his thumb rubbed against her plump bottom lip before sliding back to her neck. From her neck he weaved his hands through her hair smashing their lips together.

Ashley wasn't surprised by the fierceness of the kiss and she let him take control as she easily parted her lips as he sucked, licked, and tasted. He nipped on her bottom lip hard enough she knew it was going to be bruised afterwards.

Ashley's hands went up into his growing brown hair as she scraped her fingernails against his scalp and she felt him shudder causing her to smile before she tugged on his hair pulling him back for some air.

He panted as he stared at her. His eyes were dilated with lust causing the pool of heat to settle inside her making her legs squirm.

"Show me, Daryl," Ashley said breathlessly to him.

Daryl made an impatient noise in the back of his throat before he captured her lips once more as he urged her back and her hand hit the mattress as Daryl settled himself over her as she parted her legs giving him better access.

He broke away from her lips as his mouth began a trail down her jaw to her neck leaving marks in their wake causing her eyes to flutter shut in ecstasy.

Ashley's hand were traveling over his body as she scraped her nails along his back and his bicep before they settled on his shirt where she was clumsily trying to unbutton them before she eventually gave up and ripped the remaining buttons off causing Daryl to break away from her neck.

"Woman, I liked this shirt." Daryl informed her as his hands slipped under her shirt. His hands caused her skin to erupt in goosebumps.

"I'll fix it," Ashley informed him as she arched her back up to help him take off her shirt and bra.

"You better," Daryl replied as he crashed their lips together and both of them let out a sigh as their chest collided.

Ashley felt Daryl's hands leave her waist as one popped open the button on her jeans open as she kicked off her boots. He kissed and licked his way down her neck and between the valley of her breasts as he gently cupped one in her hand and rolled her nipple between his fingers before he enclosed his mouth over it.

Ashley gasped as he did so as he brushed his teeth against it. "Daryl," Ashley moaned that more so came out as a strangled whimper.

"Shh," he mumbled against her skin and rubbed her beard against the sensitive flesh. "The walls echoe." He added on as he unzipped her jeans and tugged them off her legs along with her panties.

Ashley used to become embarrassed as Daryl would drink in the sight of her naked body. To some degree she still wasn't used to him just taking in her fully exposed to him. He would always tell her she didn't need to be shy yet he was still shy around her with exposing his body.

"It's your turn," Ashley whispered as her hands found his belt buckle and began undoing it as he raised his eyebrow as she deftly undid his belt and unbuttoned his pants sliding them down halfway before he moved her hands away.

Ashley's hands fell to her side as she watched Daryl anticipating his next move as she was letting him take control. Even in sex, Daryl was still quiet. She had to look in his eyes to see what may be going through his mind.

Her stomach was coiling tightly in anticipation when he reached out and cupped her and he easily slipped a finger in her with how wet and ready she was for him.

Ashley clutched his shoulders and mewled as he added another finger.

"Take what you need," he whispered pressing a kiss on her swollen lips.

Ashley's fingers clutched his shoulder's harder leaving crescent marks as she began riding his hand, but it wasn't enough. "Daryl," she panted, "I need more."

Daryl removed his hand and worked himself out of his jeans and grabbed a condom. Ashley took her chance as she pushed him onto his back and settled over him a smile teasing over her flushed face as she looked at him as he had his jaw clenched watching her position his tip just outside of her entrance.

She inched down lower before she suddenly impaled herself on him causing his eyes to bulge out in surprise with a choked groan.

Ashley rested her hands on his chest and she rocked her hips back and forth causing both of their eyes to flutter shut. His hands tightened on her thigh as she circled her hips and she felt his chest rumble as he swallowed a groan.

"Stop teasing," he rasped causing her to chuckle as she nipped at his neck. Ashley knew he liked this position and she was shocked considering she was the one to be fully in control. She could admit she liked it to as she liked watching Daryl come undone because of her.

Ashley leaned up and with her hands on his chest, she rode him fully. She quickly settled in a rhythm that suited them both as she trapped her bottom lip between her teeth to keep the moans locked in her throat. Yet, the unmistakable sounds of skin slapping and the frantic breathing mixed with the escaped moans would surely give them away in the quiet of the night.

"God, Daryl," Ashley groaned as he changed the angle of his hips as he hit that spot that caused her to her toes to curl and almost have her ruin the rhythm she set.

"Fuck," Daryl hissed as her nails scratched his chest and her walls began to flutter around him. "Look at me," Daryl demanded and she knew he could see what she need to really get over the edge as his hand slipped between them to rub the swollen flesh. A strangled mewl escaped her throat as her hips jerked wildly until she finally reached her climax causing a surprise cry to leave her as her muscles clenched hard around him and she felt him still beneath her as they both dissolved in a mess of sweaty, twitchy, pulsing limbs.

Ashley fell forehead bringing her head down on his chest before burying it in his neck and placed a feathery kiss against it as they caught their breath.

"Say it again," Daryl demanded softly as his hand rubbed soothing circles on her back as their heart rates climbed down to normal.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon."

That fever inside him finally was diagnosed.


End file.
